Top four managers with most EFL Cup trophies ft. Guardiola & Mourinho
Pep Guardiola becomes the most dominant manager in this competition.
The English Football League Cup (EFL Cup) is a yearly knockout tournament for men’s domestic football in England. It is officially named the Carabao Cup for sponsorship purposes; it is commonly referred to as the League Cup.
Any team in the top four tiers of the English football league system is eligible to participate. It is organised by the English Football League (EFL). Along with the FA Cup, it is one of the two major domestic knockout trophies in English football.
It first took place as the Football League Cup in 1960–61. Only a few managers have had a successful spell winning this trophy during their time in the English division ladder.
| Rank | Manager name | Total EFL Cup trophies won |
| 4 | Jose Mourinho | 4 |
| 3 | Sir Alex Ferguson | 4 |
| 2 | Brian Clough | 4 |
| 1 | Pep Guardiola | 5 |
With this, we take a look at the top four managers with the most EFL Cup wins.
4. Jose Mourinho: 4 EFL Cups
The problem with José Mourinho is that supporters either adore him or despise him. Known as “The Special One,” he won his 26th managerial trophy in 2022 as AS Roma won the first-ever UEFA Conference League. The Portuguese coach has had great success in the 21st century, winning two Champions League titles with Inter Milan and FC Porto.
While in the Premier League, he won league titles with Chelsea and guided them to many other domestic cup titles, winning four EFL Cups.
3. Sir Alex Ferguson: 4 EFL Cups
There’s no need to introduce one of the greatest managers of all time. Ferguson guided the Red Devils to an incredible 38 trophies over 27 years at Old Trafford, most notably their legendary treble-winning campaign in 1998–1999. Ferguson is a manager with a sea of trophies behind him.
Ferguson is the Premier League manager with the most trophies. Despite leading United for his entire career and winning numerous trophies, the Scottish head coach won only four EFL Cup titles.
2. Brian Clough: 4 EFL Cups
During his stint as Nottingham Forest‘s manager, Brian Clough won the League Cup (now known as the EFL Cup) four times. He won these tournaments in 1978, 1979, 1989, and 1990. Until 2026, he held the record for the most titles for more than thirty years, but his record has now been surpassed by Guardiola.
1. Pep Guardiola: 5 EFL Cups
After Manchester City defeated Arsenal 2-0 to win the 2025-26 League Cup, also known as the Carabao Cup, at Wembley on Sunday, Pep Guardiola will have many reasons to be happy.
It was City’s ninth League Cup victory, five of which have come under Guardiola since he took over as manager in 2016. It was also the team’s first trophy in two years. With his fifth League Cup victory, the Spaniard became the most successful manager in the competition since its founding in 1960.
With which club has Guardiola won the most EFL Cups?
He has won all five EFL Cups with City.
With which club has Brian Clough won the most EFL Cups?
He has won all the trophies with Nottingham Forest.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.