With Pep Guardiola recently winning the treble with Manchester City, who are the other treble winning managers?
In football, achieving a treble means winning three trophies in a single season. However, for it to be recognized at the continental level, the team must win the appropriate championships.
Two types of trebles exist: the domestic treble and the continental treble. The domestic treble involves winning the league, the primary national cup, and the secondary national cup.
In England, for example, the domestic treble consists of the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Carabao Cup. However, Spain and Germany do not have a comparable domestic treble.
On the other hand, the continental treble includes winning the league, the primary national cup, and a continental championship like the Champions League.
Some argue that the same can be achieved with a second-tier continental cup, such as the Europa League. However, winning the treble with the Champions League is considered more prestigious and truly represents a continental treble.
This article focuses on a special group of treble winning managers who have accomplished the continental treble.
1. Pep Guardiola – FC Barcelona (2008/09), Manchester City (2022/23)
Pep Guardiola is the only manager to have won the treble twice and he did it with two different teams.
Guardiola who is said to have revolutionized world football and Barcelona, was a newcomer to management at the time he first won the treble. He made significant and controversial changes, excluding players like Ronaldinho, Deco, and Samuel Eto’o from his plans.
Despite starting the Laliga campaign with a defeat, Guardiola’s team eventually won 27 out of 38 league games and secured the title. As the team’s momentum and chemistry grew, Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the Copa Del Rey final.
Guardiola silenced his critics by achieving a domestic double in his first season in charge. However, the ultimate challenge awaited them in the UEFA Champions League final against defending champions Manchester United. In Rome, Guardiola and his team left their mark by defeating the English giants 2-0 and completing a historic treble.
In the 2022/23 season, Rodri’s goal secured a glorious victory for Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, along with winning the FA Cup against Manchester United and completing a hat-trick of Premier League titles.
2. Sir Alex Ferguson – Manchester United (1998/99)
The race for the Premier League title in the 1998/99 season went down to the wire, with Manchester United and Arsenal battling it out. A defeat in the final game would have crushed Manchester United’s treble aspirations.
However, the team had different plans and made a strong comeback against Tottenham, winning the match 2-1 after initially trailing. With the win, Sir Alex Ferguson lifted the Premier League trophy for the fifth time in seven years.
Manchester United then faced Newcastle United in the FA Cup final, winning 2-0 and securing a domestic double before the UEFA Champions League final.
In the UCL final at the Camp Nou, Manchester United faced their biggest challenge against Bayern Munich. Their treble hopes were hanging by a thread after conceding an early goal.
However, the team displayed incredible resilience, staging a remarkable comeback in the last two minutes of injury time to defeat Bayern Munich 2-1 in the final.
3. Jose Mourinho – Inter Milan (2009/10)
Jose Mourinho, known as the Special One for his exceptional managerial skills, has over time established himself as one of the world’s top managers.
After joining Inter Milan from Chelsea in 2008, he wasted no time in proving his winning reputation by leading the team to a domestic double in his first season in charge, followed by a historic treble triumph in the following season.
The 2009/10 season posed challenges for Inter Milan as several experienced players departed from the club. Nevertheless, Mourinho made astute replacements and guided the team to secure the league title, finishing two points ahead of second-placed Roma.
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With the domestic title successfully defended, Inter went on to claim the Copa-Italia, completing a remarkable domestic double. However, their journey in the Champions League was a different story.
Considered as underdogs throughout the tournament, Mourinho’s side surprised everyone by defeating his former team, Chelsea, in the Round of 16 and a formidable Barcelona team in the semi-finals. In the final, Inter faced Bayern Munich and emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline.
Mourinho is still the only treble winning manager in the history of the Italian top flight.
4. Jupp Heynckes – Bayern Munich (2012/13)
In 2011, Jupp Heynckes returned to Bayern Munich, marking his third stint with the club. Despite finishing second to Borussia Dortmund in that season, Bayern Munich experienced a remarkable turnaround in the next.
They only lost one game throughout the 2012/13 Bundesliga season, securing them the championship title. Heynckes’ team accumulated an impressive 91 points, putting them an incredible 25 points ahead of second-placed Dortmund.
Additionally, Bayern Munich faced Dortmund once again in the DFB-Pokal final, where they triumphed to secure a domestic double.
The climax of their successful season came in May 2013 when they faced Dortmund in an all-German Champions League final at Wembley. Bayern Munich emerged as the champions, winning the prestigious tournament and achieving their first-ever treble by securing the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles.
5. Luis Enrique – FC Barcelona (2014-15)
Luis Enrique led Barcelona to their second ever treble when he became their coach in 2014. Barca began the domestic season with an impressive eight-game winning streak under Enrique’s leadership.
In his first season in charge, Enrique successfully guided the team to the league title, finishing two points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.
Additionally, just a few days before the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final, Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the Copa del Rey final, completing a league double.
The highly-anticipated UCL final took place in Berlin, where Barcelona faced Juventus. The Barca team showcased exceptional football and emerged victorious with a 3-1 win over Juve in the final.
This remarkable triumph made Barcelona the first team to achieve a continental treble in multiple seasons, cementing their status as the ultimate victors.
6. Hansi Flick – Bayern Munich (2019-20)
In the 2019-20 season, Hansi Flick achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the sixth treble winning manager after securing the prestigious continental treble at Bayern Munich.
His journey can be described as a rags-to-riches story. Flick took charge as a caretaker manager in 2019 after Bayern sacked Niko Kovac, effectively rescuing the team from a downward spiral.
In a mere 10 months, Flick guided Bayern Munich to the club’s second continental treble.
Notably, Flick became the third individual to win the Bundesliga title both as a player and a manager. He adeptly balanced the team by leveraging the strengths of both young and experienced players, bringing out the best in everyone.
Bayern Munich’s dominance in the league was evident as they finished a staggering 13 points ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Flick’s team also went on to clinch the DFB-Pokal title, defeating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 and achieving a league double.
In the Champions League final, Bayern Munich triumphed over PSG with a narrow 1-0 victory, becoming the second club, after FC Barcelona, to secure a continental treble in multiple seasons.
Flick’s exceptional management and the team’s stellar performance sealed their place in football history.
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