The best FM 2021 coaches are vital to success and the full development of your players.
This list of best Football Manager 2021 coaches covers all categories from between the sticks, to defence, possession and attack.
Best FM 2021 Coaches Explained
You may have heard the term 5-star coaching, this is the star rating you see in the coaching screen. Unless you are in the top flight and able to hire a separate coach in every category achieving 5 star coaching is unlikely.
However, by signing the best Football Manager 2021 coaches and following the steps below you should come close.
- Where possible only give each coach one category (High workload deters ratings)
- Specialise and find the best FM21 coaches for each category (easy using the lists below)
Find the best FM 2021 players:
FM21 Coaching Categories
With the release of FM19 came an overhaul of training and some new coaching categories. We will list the best FM 2021 coaches for all categories.
- Goalkeeping — handling & distribution/shot stopping
- Defending — technical/tactical
- Possession — technical/tactical
- Attacking — technical/tactical
- Fitness — quickness/strength
Best Football Manager 2021 Coaches
All coaches require the following attributes; determination, level of discipline and motivation.
You should then search by specialist attributes, all key attributes we have filtered by are stated below.
Note: defending, possession and attacking are now split into technical or tactical. Fitness is still split by quickness and strength, goalkeeping by shot stopping, handling and distribution.
Best FM21 Goalkeeping Coaches
Key attributes: Determination, level of discipline, motivation, handling & distribution/shot stopping
| Name | Nation | Age | Club | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flavio Tenius |  | 56 | BOT |  |
| Xavi Valero |  | 47 | West Ham | |
| Javier Garcia | | 41 | - | |
| Alex Brunner |  | 46 | Udinese |  |
| Carlos Pracidelli | | 63 | - | |
| Joel Bats |  | 63 | - | |
| Rui Barbosa |  | 46 | Wolves | |
| David Thiel |  | 35 | Bayer 04 | |
| Haroldo Lamounier | | 61 | - | |
| Andreas Hilfiker |  | 51 | Wolfsburg | |
| Massimo Nenci | | 55 | - | |
| Mauro Marchisio | | 60 | Empoli |  |
| Jean-Claude Hagenbach | | 60 | Strasbourg | |
| Paulo Rui | | 39 | BOT | |
| Ed Wootten |  | 40 | Norwich | |
| Alfred Dossou-Yovo |  | 36 | Lyon | |
Best FM 2021 Fitness Coaches
Key attributes: Determination, level of discipline, motivation, fitness
| Name | Nation | Age | Club | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlan Schneider | | 56 | - | |
| Massimo Neri | | 62 | - | |
| Roberto Sassi | | 69 | - | |
| Rui Faria | | 45 | - | |
| Anthony Colbert | | 57 | - | |
| Jesus Perez | | 48 | - | |
| Markus Zetlmeisl | | 53 | Schalke 04 II | |
| Andreas Schlumberger | | 54 | B. M'gladbach | |
| Andrea Scanavino | | 47 | Zenit | |
| Jon Goodman |  | 49 | MK Dons | |
| Walmir Cruz | | 60 | - | |
| Javier Vilamitjana |  | 52 | - | |
| C. Manouvrier | | 49 | - | |
| Simone Folletti | | 47 | - | |
| Davide Losi | | 33 | - | |
| Marcos Alvarez | | 49 | - | |
| Bruno Mendes | | 37 | - | |
| Daniel Jouvin | | 42 | Bayer 04 | |
| Kai Braun | | 53 | Bayer 04 | |
| Cedric Uras | | 42 | Lyon | |
Best Football Manager 2021 Defending Coaches
Key attributes: Determination, level of discipline, motivation, defending, technical/tactical
| Name | Nation | Age | Club | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norbert Elgert | | 63 | Schalke 04 | |
| Marco Ianni | | 38 | - | |
| Mauro Tassotti | | 60 | - | |
| Daniele Baldini | | 56 | - | |
| Chiquinho | | 53 | - | |
| Seppo Eichkorn | | 63 | Schalke 04 | |
| Miguel Quaresma | | 66 | - | |
| Angelo Palombo | | 38 | Sampdoria | |
| Miguel D'Agostino | | 48 | - | |
| Giuseppe Irrera | | 58 | - | |
| Glynn Snodin | | 60 | - | |
| Pal Daradai |  | 44 | Hertha BSC | |
| Tony McAndrew |  | 64 | - | |
| Ricky Sbragia | | 64 | - | |
| Zoran Mirkovic |  | 48 | - | |
| Lorenzo D'Anna | | 48 | - | |
| Peter Reekers |  | 39 | Heracles Almelo | |
| Joachim Bjorklund |  | 49 | Hammarby IF | |
| Markus Krosche | | 39 | RB Leipzig | |
| Marco Baroni | | 56 | - | |
| Lorenzo Rubinacci | | 52 | Frosinone | |
| Gunther Metz | | 52 | Kaiserslautern |  |
| Erik Hoftun |  | 51 | - | |
| Gordon Greer | | 39 | Brighton | |
Every year we test countless tactics and review the very best. For FM21 these systems will be ranked and listed within our tactics index linked below.
Best FM2021 Possession Coaches
Key attributes: Determination, level of discipline, motivation, mental, tactical/technical
| Name | Nation | Age | Club | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giovanni Martusciello | | 48 | - | |
| Norbert Elgert | | 63 | Schalke 04 | |
| Daniele Baldini | | 56 | - | |
| Dirk Bremser | | 54 | - | |