Unai Emery has ascended to the pantheon of managerial greats after guiding Aston Villa to Europa League glory, securing his fifth title in the competition. The Spaniard now stands alongside legendary figures Giovanni Trapattoni, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jose Mourinho as only the fourth manager to accumulate five major European trophies.
Emery's Europa League Dominance
The 54-year-old Basque extended his record in the Europa League, having previously triumphed with Sevilla in 2014, 2015, and 2016, and with Villarreal in 2021. He is the second manager to win a single major European tournament at least five times, matching Ancelotti's feat. Emery has also reached six European finals, including a runner-up finish with Arsenal in 2019, putting him on par with Ancelotti, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Mourinho, and behind only Trapattoni's seven. Notably, Emery is the first manager to win the UEFA Cup or Europa League with three different clubs.
Giovanni Trapattoni
The 87-year-old former Italy and Republic of Ireland boss holds the record for most major European club finals as a manager, with seven appearances and five wins. He led Juventus to European Cup victory in 1985, the Cup Winners' Cup in 1984, and the UEFA Cup twice (1977 and 1993). He also won the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan in 1991. His losses include the 1974 Cup Winners' Cup final with AC Milan and the 1983 European Cup final with Juventus.
Carlo Ancelotti
The Brazil head coach is the only manager to win the Champions League five times, with two titles at AC Milan (2003, 2007) and three at Real Madrid (2014, 2022, 2024). The 66-year-old also led Milan to the 2005 final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties.
Jose Mourinho
The 63-year-old won the UEFA Cup with Porto in 2003 and the Champions League in 2004, then secured a second Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010. He added the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 and the inaugural Conference League with Roma in 2022. Mourinho reached his sixth major European final in 2023, losing to Sevilla on penalties.
