Jamesty
In 2025, the world of football has been full of high drama, with some of the most famous managers in the game facing the axe during tough seasons. These firings have made headlines and spurred numerous debates, from dramatic mid-season firings to sad relegations. This is our list of the top 10 most talked-about managerial exits of the year, ranked on how much buzz and effect they had throughout the world.
List Of Top 10 Most Popular Football Managers Sacked In The World 2025
1. Ange Postecoglou
Tottenham Hotspur’s firing of Ange Postecoglou is still the tale that won’t go away in 2025. On June 6, just 16 days after leading Spurs to a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final, which was their first major title in 17 years, the Australian was fired without any fanfare. Tottenham’s terrible Premier League record (17th place, with 22 losses) was too much for chairman Daniel Levy, even though they had a great run in Europe. Postecoglou’s high-energy “Angeball” style thrilled spectators but showed weaknesses in the defense, resulting in a £4 million reward and a legacy of irony: a successful firing. His short time at Nottingham Forest later that year only made the controversy worse, as fans turned on him when he lost all of his games.
2. Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui was fired by West Ham in the middle of the season, making him the fifth Premier League manager to be fired in 2025. He was let go on January 8 after just eight months and 20 league games. Even though he spent more than £130 million on new players, the Spaniard only won six league games, which put the Hammers in 14th place and made fans angry enough to shout “Nopetegui” after losses. His doom was sealed by tensions with players, tough training regimens, and big losses to Liverpool and Manchester City, which led to Graham Potter’s ill-fated arrival. Lopetegui’s departure brought attention to West Ham’s persistent identity dilemma.
3. Sean Dyche
Everton’s tumultuous firing manager Sean Dyche on January 9, just hours before an FA Cup match, was a perfect example of how the Friedkin Group’s new owners made things crazy for the Toffees in 2025. Dyche’s team kept the club alive for two seasons despite losing eight points, but they only won one of their last 11 games and were just one point above relegation. Many others called the timing “disrespectful,” and Dyche and the team reportedly fought over pay before coming to an agreement. David Moyes became the clear favorite to come back, showing how unstable Everton is right now.
4. Ivan Jurić
Southampton’s shameful relegation in 2025, the earliest in Premier League history, led to Ivan Jurić’s firing on April 7, just 107 days after manager was hired in December. The Croatian manager won just one of 14 league games (W1 D1 L12), giving him the worst points-per-game record (0.29) of any manager who has managed 10 or more top-flight games. After Russell Martin left, Jurić’s defense problems and a 3-1 loss to Tottenham confirmed the slide, leaving Saints on track for a record-low points total. His quick return to Atalanta in June gave him some redemption.
5. Johannes Hoff Thorup
Norwich City fired Johannes Hoff Thorup on April 22, during a Championship collapse. The Dane was let go after losing six of eight games, including a 5-3 home loss to Portsmouth. Thorup was hired in May 2024 on a three-year agreement to help young players grow. He only won 14 of 47 games, missed the playoffs, and was criticized for not being clear about his goals. Jack Wilshere’s time as a temporary player came next, but the players’ lack of reaction spoke loudly about how bad things were between them. Later, Thorup thought about how he would have handled things differently to get quick results.
6. Domenico Tedesco
Belgium fired Domenico Tedesco on January 17 after less than two years after the team finished in last place in the Nations League and had a fight with Thibaut Courtois. The Italian-German has only won two of his previous ten games, including a 1-0 loss to Israel, which ended a slump that started after Euro 2024 when they lost to France in the round of 16. Courtois’s refusal to play for him made things worse, and Kevin De Bruyne’s criticism made things worse. Tedesco’s hasty move to Fenerbahçe in September heralded the start of a rough time in international football.
7. Marco Rose
Marco Rose was fired by RB Leipzig on March 30, even though he had just won the DFB-Pokal in 2023. He lost 1-0 to his old team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, in his 127th game. This showed that his team was in sixth place and having trouble in the Champions League because talents like Benjamin Šeško were hurt or not playing well. Rose’s assistants also left, and Zsolt Lőw took over as coach for a bid for the top four. The decision, which was meant to save the season, showed how impatient Leipzig was.
8. Luciano Spalletti
The height of Italy’s June 8 drama came when Luciano Spalletti announced his own firing at a press conference after a humiliating 3-0 loss to Norway in a qualifier. The 66-year-old, who led Napoli to Scudetto success, only won 11 of 23 Azzurri games, including a terrible Euro 2024 (last-16 exit). A compromise allowed him to manage one last win for Moldova before retiring. This left successors like Stefano Pioli or Claudio Ranieri with the task of rebuilding the team for the next generation. Spalletti’s departure was a sign of Italy’s problems after winning the World Cup.
9. Christophe Galtier
The firing of Christophe Galtier by Paris Saint-Germain on March 20, even though they had won the Ligue 1 title, brought up old arguments about their fixation with the Champions League. He was doomed after one season, as Bayern Munich lost in the final 16 and Marseille upset them in the Coupe de France, even though he won the Trophée des Champions. Fans booed Galtier and Lionel Messi on the last day, which showed how angry they were and opened the door for Luis Enrique. It was PSG’s shortest time in charge of Qatar, which shows how much strain they were under.
10. Rúben Sellés
Sheffield United fired Rúben Sellés on September 14 after five Championship games without a win (14 goals allowed). This ended a terrible three months. The Spaniard took over for Chris Wilder in June, right after Hull survived, yet he endured humiliating losses, such a 5-0 loss to Ipswich. Fans were unhappy with Sellés’s time with the Blades because of problems with hiring players, even though Hull had already fired him. Fans were looking forward to Wilder’s return.
