Tactical Tailoring

Time was that a manager’s matchday outfit would consist of either a club blazer or tracksuit, plus an oversized coat when required. But technical areas are increasingly resembling catwalks, as coaches start to ponder fashion as much as formations. Here are some of the finest exponents of dugout chic

WORDS Amber Graafland

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!


Diego Simeone

The General

The Atlético de Madrid coach’s signature black-on-black-on-black look (completed with a skinny tie that never seems to move) has served him well over the years. He’s rarely spotted on the sidelines in anything other than his trademark ensemble and it conveys a very clear message: I’m in charge and I mean business.

This is clearly a man who knows his way around a suit. It’s unfathomable to imagine that a man who’s this in control of his image could ever put a foot wrong, right? It’s a look so polished that it wouldn’t feel out of place on a Hollywood actor, and the suit itself even has a whiff of Reservoir Dogs about it (which is rather apt when you consider his ‘combative’ approach to the game).

Essentially the Argentinian has taken a uniformed approach to dressing. When he steps into his outfit and makes his way to the touchline, he’s performing a role. And we’re not about to argue with him.


Julian Nagelsmann

The Renegade

If you thought Gareth Southgate’s M&S waistcoat was the high-water mark of daring fashion, you clearly haven’t been introduced to Julian Nagelsmann.

This was the attire of choice for the RB Leipzig manager on one of the biggest nights of his career, when his side were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League. The 33-year-old donned a tightly fitted grey patterned suit with slightly cropped trousers, which revealed a bare ankle and a pair of navy buckled plimsols.

It’s a look that could have come straight off a Milan runway. Yes, it was likened on Twitter to a ‘DFS couch called Vienna or something’ but that’s not the point. It’s a get-up that’s indicative of Nagelsmann’s flair and shows that he has no intention of conforming.

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

Tactical Tailoring

Time was that a manager’s matchday outfit would consist of either a club blazer or tracksuit, plus an oversized coat when required. But technical areas are increasingly resembling catwalks, as coaches start to ponder fashion as much as formations. Here are some of the finest exponents of dugout chic

WORDS Amber Graafland

Text Link

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!


Diego Simeone

The General

The Atlético de Madrid coach’s signature black-on-black-on-black look (completed with a skinny tie that never seems to move) has served him well over the years. He’s rarely spotted on the sidelines in anything other than his trademark ensemble and it conveys a very clear message: I’m in charge and I mean business.

This is clearly a man who knows his way around a suit. It’s unfathomable to imagine that a man who’s this in control of his image could ever put a foot wrong, right? It’s a look so polished that it wouldn’t feel out of place on a Hollywood actor, and the suit itself even has a whiff of Reservoir Dogs about it (which is rather apt when you consider his ‘combative’ approach to the game).

Essentially the Argentinian has taken a uniformed approach to dressing. When he steps into his outfit and makes his way to the touchline, he’s performing a role. And we’re not about to argue with him.


Julian Nagelsmann

The Renegade

If you thought Gareth Southgate’s M&S waistcoat was the high-water mark of daring fashion, you clearly haven’t been introduced to Julian Nagelsmann.

This was the attire of choice for the RB Leipzig manager on one of the biggest nights of his career, when his side were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of last season’s Champions League. The 33-year-old donned a tightly fitted grey patterned suit with slightly cropped trousers, which revealed a bare ankle and a pair of navy buckled plimsols.

It’s a look that could have come straight off a Milan runway. Yes, it was likened on Twitter to a ‘DFS couch called Vienna or something’ but that’s not the point. It’s a get-up that’s indicative of Nagelsmann’s flair and shows that he has no intention of conforming.

Zinédine Zidane

The Connoisseur

Here we have a manager who has turned out to be as consistently elegant off the pitch as he was on it. Blessed with that certain je ne sais quoi where getting dressed is concerned, he nails it every time. His style combines sophistication and professionalism, with just the right amount of French flair thrown in.

He’s developed his own brand of masculinity that few can pull off. Favouring a simple black suit and tie with a crisp white shirt, he likes to introduce some nuance with either a cool trainer or designer shoe.

Incidentally, when he’s off duty the Real Madrid coach is often spotted wearing a tightly fitting polo neck, which is then layered under a sleek suit or worn with skinny jeans. If we’re being entirely honest, not many men can pull off a polo neck. But it’s one of Zizou’s signature garments – and testimony to his confident approach to looking effortlessly cool.


Pep Guardiola

The Archetype

Sure, tika-taka football, multiple trophies and all that. But where Pep Guardiola has really raised the bar is managerial style.

You’ll often see the Manchester City boss in a meticulously tailored suit, crisp white shirt and streamlined tie combo. But that’s not to say he doesn’t excel when dressing down. His go-to casual look consists of a pair of tailored skinny trousers and a fine gauge V-neck or crewneck cashmere knit, of which he appears to own thousands in every shade of blue and brown imaginable. That’s then teamed with a designer trainer (no logo, of course) or smart, shiny shoe.

It’s a dress sense that exudes a quietly confident air, to the extent that Pep sometimes looks more like an East London graphic designer than a football manager.

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