ISL: Top five managers with highest win percentage

Three of the five managers in this list have been a part of Mumbai City FC.

The Indian Super League (ISL) saw legendary names like Antonio Habas, Marco Materazzi, and Zico deliver their management masterclass in its first few seasons. Since then, the league has become more competitive, and the likes of Jose Molina, Sergio Lobera, and Manolo Marquez have made a name for themselves.

Getting a quality manager to lead the squad is as important as signing big-money players. At the end of the day, it’s the tactics and the game style that help pick up big wins.

Here are the top five managers with the highest win percentage in the league, who have become household names in Indian football:

5. Sergio Lobera (Win Percentage – 49.22%)

Fans in the league were first introduced to Sergio Lobera in 2017 as the Spaniard took charge of FC Goa. The manager made the Gaurs a force to reckon with, winning the ISL Shield and the Super Cup before moving to Mumbai City in 2020.

With the Islanders, Lobera struck gold once again, helping Mumbai City do a ISL Shield and Cup double in the 2020-21 season. Following a short stint in China, the Spaniard joined Odisha FC in 2023. Overall, Lobera has 63 wins in 128 league games to his name over the last eight years.

4. Petr Kratky (Win Percentage – 50%)

Petr Kratky joined Mumbai City in December 2023 as Des Buckingham left to manage Oxford United after a very successful stint with the West Coast club. The Czech manager didn’t miss a step and immediately got the Sky Blues going, helping them win the 2023-24 ISL title by beating Mohun Bagan at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Following a successful debut season with Mumbai City, Petr Kratky’s win percentage has dropped a bit in the 2024-25 season as the Islanders were inconsistent and finished sixth in the league. Overall, the manager has 22 wins in 44 league matches to his name.

3. Manolo Marquez (Win Percentage – 51.72 %)

The current FC Goa and Indian football team manager was introduced to the ISL through Hyderabad FC. Having joined the Southern club in 2020, Manolo helped the Nizams reach back-to-back playoffs and also helped them win the ISL Cup in 2022.

Following a successful stint, Manolo Marquez joined FC Goa in 2023 and has transformed the club to become title contenders once again. The Spaniard also helped his side win the Kalinga Super Cup 2025, helping the Gaurs get a ticket to AFC competitions. Overall Manolo has an impressive record in the league with 60 wins in 116 games.

2. Jose Molina (Win Percentage – 54.55%)

It can be argued that Jose Molina is the most accomplished coach in the league at the moment as he has won three trophies in just two seasons. The Spaniard made his league debut as the head coach of Atletico de Kolkata in 2016 and helped them win the ISL Cup.

Jose Molina made his ISL return with Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the 2024-25 season and helped them win the ISL Shield and the Cup with record points and a record number of clean sheets. The 54-year-old has a decent record of 24 wins in 44 league games and will be looking to add to this feat next season.

1. Des Buckingham (Win Percentage – 57.45%)

The most accomplished coach in terms of win percentage at the moment is the ex-Mumbai City FC gaffer, Des Buckingham. The Englishman joined the Islanders ahead of the 2021-22 season and was at the helm of the club for two and a half seasons.

Buckingham helped Mumbai City win the 2022-23 ISL Shield and his tactics and squad selection played a major part in the Islanders’ ISL Cup win under Petr Kratky in the following season. The manager has an impressive record of 27 wins in 47 league matches.

Following his stint with the Islanders, the 40-year-old helped Oxford United get promoted to the English Championship. Des Buckingham is currently a free agent and hence it has to be seen if any club would swoop in to sign the manager with the highest win percentage at the moment.

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