Claudio Ranieri facts for kids

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Claudio Ranieri
Personal information
Ranieri in 2023
Full name	Claudio Ranieri
Date of birth	(1951-10-20) 20 October 1951 (age 73)
Place of birth	Rome, Italy
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Roma (senior advisor)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1973–1974	Roma	6	(0)
1974–1982	Catanzaro	226	(8)
1982–1984	Catania	92	(1)
1984–1986	Palermo	40	(0)
Total		366	(9)
Managerial career
1986–1987	Vigor Lamezia
1987–1988	Puteolana
1988–1991	Cagliari
1991–1993	Napoli
1993–1997	Fiorentina
1997–1999	Valencia
1999–2000	Atlético Madrid
2000–2004	Chelsea
2004–2005	Valencia
2007	Parma
2007–2009	Juventus
2009–2011	Roma
2011–2012	Inter Milan
2012–2014	Monaco
2014	Greece
2015–2017	Leicester City
2017–2018	Nantes
2018–2019	Fulham
2019	Roma
2019–2021	Sampdoria
2021–2022	Watford
2023–2024	Cagliari
2024–2025	Roma
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Claudio Ranieri is a famous Italian football manager and former player. He was born on 20 October 1951. He is currently a senior advisor for the Italian club Roma. Ranieri is best known for leading Leicester City to an amazing 2015–16 Premier League title win. This victory was one of the biggest surprises in sports history.

Ranieri started his coaching career in Italy's lower football leagues in the late 1980s. He became well-known at Cagliari, helping them move up from the third division to Serie A in just two seasons. He then coached Napoli, where his team qualified for the UEFA Cup. In 1993, he joined Fiorentina, leading them to promotion to Serie A. He also won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana with Fiorentina in 1996. After that, he moved to Spain to manage Valencia and Atlético Madrid. With Valencia, he won the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Intertoto Cup. He also helped them qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

In 2000, Ranieri moved to England to become the head coach of Chelsea. During his four years there, Chelsea improved their league position each season. After a lot of money was invested in the team by new owner Roman Abramovich in 2003, Ranieri led Chelsea to finish second in the league in 2004. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals that same season. He was later dismissed by Abramovich. After a second time coaching Valencia, he returned to Italy in 2007. He had mixed success with teams like Parma, Juventus, Roma, and Inter Milan.

In 2012, Ranieri became the manager of Ligue 1 team Monaco. They had just finished in the middle of Ligue 2. He led them to win the Ligue 2 championship in his first season. The next season, they finished second in Ligue 1. After this, he coached the Greek national team. However, he was dismissed less than four months later after a surprising loss to the Faroe Islands.

Ranieri returned to England in 2015 to manage Leicester City. He led them to win the 2015–16 Premier League title. This was incredible because the club had almost been relegated the season before. He was named the 2016 Premier League Manager of the Season. He also received the 2016 Best FIFA Men's Coach Award. He was dismissed by Leicester in February 2017 after a series of poor results. Since then, he has managed Nantes, Fulham, Roma, Sampdoria, and Watford. In June 2023, he helped Cagliari get promoted to Serie A again. After leaving Cagliari, he announced he would retire from club management. However, he changed his mind to coach Roma for a third time in November 2024. He guided them to a fifth-place finish. He is now a senior advisor at the club.

Claudio Ranieri's Life

Ranieri was born in San Saba, a neighborhood in Rome. This area is close to the Circus Maximus. He has always been a big fan of AS Roma. He started playing football at his local church. Friends from his childhood said he was quiet and reserved. He and his family live in Formello, a nearby town.

Ranieri is married to Dr. Rosanna. They have a daughter named Claudia. Claudia is married to Italian actor Alessandro Roja. Claudio has a grandson, Orlando, and a granddaughter, Dorotea. In May 2016, when he was Leicester City's manager, he famously said he would have lunch with his 96-year-old mother in Rome. He chose this over watching the Chelsea–Tottenham Hotspur match. That match ended in a 2–2 draw, which meant Leicester won the Premier League title. Ranieri is a very religious person and prays every day.

Playing Career

Ranieri with Roma, pictured on a football sticker from 1973

Ranieri started his professional football career as a player with Roma. He played only six games for them in two seasons. He also had a short loan spell with Siracusa. Ranieri spent most of his playing career as a defender. He played for Catanzaro from 1974 to 1982. Then he played for Catania from 1982 to 1984. His last club as a player was Palermo, from 1984 to 1986. He helped his teams get promoted to higher leagues four times.

Managerial Career

Early Years in Italy

Ranieri's first coaching job was with an amateur team called Vigor Lamezia. He then became manager of Campania Puteolana, a small team in Pozzuoli, in 1987. But he really made his name as a manager at Cagliari. He joined the club in 1988. He helped them get promoted from the third division to Serie A in back-to-back seasons. He also won the Coppa Italia Serie C in 1989. At Cagliari, his team was known for being flexible with their tactics. They could change their playing style during a single match.

From 1991, Ranieri managed Napoli for two seasons. The club was having money problems at the time. Even though they finished fourth in Serie A and qualified for the UEFA Cup, he didn't win any trophies there. During his second season at Napoli, he was dismissed. This happened after the team was knocked out of the UEFA Cup. However, he did help young players like Gianfranco Zola become part of the first team.

Ranieri joined Fiorentina in 1993. In his first season, he led them to promotion to Serie A by winning the 1993–94 Serie B title. He then had success in Serie A, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana in 1996. With talented players like Gabriel Batistuta, his team went on a 15-match unbeaten run in the 1995–96 Serie A season. They were in second place for many months. The next season was not as good, as Fiorentina finished ninth. But they did reach the semi-finals of the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

First Time in Spain

In 1997, Ranieri moved to Spain to coach Valencia. He was their coach from 1997 to 1999. He guided Valencia to a fourth-place finish in La Liga, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He also won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998 and the Copa del Rey in 1999. Ranieri was very popular when he left Valencia in 1999. Many people say he helped Valencia become a successful club. Under Ranieri, Valencia was known for being strong in defense and good at counter-attacking. He also helped develop young players like Gaizka Mendieta.

Ranieri then joined Atlético Madrid in 1999. During his time there, the team had financial problems and struggled on the field. Ranieri resigned before he could be dismissed. Atlético was close to being relegated, and they eventually were at the end of the season.

Chelsea Football Club

Ranieri was the head coach of Chelsea from September 2000 to May 2004. When he first arrived in London, he spoke little English. However, some players could speak Italian or Spanish, which helped him communicate. In his first season, Chelsea finished sixth. Ranieri was told to make the team younger. In 2001, he bought new midfielders like Frank Lampard and Emmanuel Petit. He also signed defender William Gallas.

Ranieri was sometimes criticized for selling popular players. Chelsea finished sixth again in his second season. But they did reach the FA Cup Final, losing to Arsenal. During the 2002–03 season, the British media called Ranieri "The Tinkerman." This was because he often changed his team's lineup. Chelsea ended that season well, qualifying for the Champions League. This was a great achievement because the club was in a difficult financial situation. Ranieri also helped young players like John Terry develop.

In 2003, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea. Ranieri was given a lot of money to buy new players. But his job was also at risk. Ranieri spent £120 million on players in the summer of 2003. These players included Damien Duff, Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole, Hernán Crespo, and Claude Makélélé. This investment led to Chelsea's best league finish in 49 years. They finished second in the Premier League behind Arsenal. Chelsea also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. However, they lost to Monaco, and some blamed Ranieri for his tactical changes.

That season, Chelsea set new club records for fewest goals conceded and most points in a season. On 31 May 2004, Ranieri was dismissed from Chelsea. His job went to José Mourinho. In Ranieri's four seasons, Chelsea improved their points total every year. Many key players who later won titles with Chelsea, like John Terry and Frank Lampard, were brought in or developed by Ranieri. He also suggested signing players like Didier Drogba and Petr Čech, who became very important for the club.

Ranieri wrote a book in September 2004 called Proud Man Walking. It was about his last year at Chelsea. All the money from the book went to London's Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Second Time at Valencia

On 8 June 2004, Ranieri returned to Valencia as coach. He signed a three-year contract. Ranieri took over from Rafael Benítez, who had won the UEFA Cup and La Liga with Valencia. Ranieri signed several players from Italy. Valencia started well, winning the UEFA Super Cup against Porto. But then they had a bad period, losing many games and being knocked out of the Champions League. Ranieri was criticized for not playing a key player, Pablo Aimar, and for changing his tactics too much. He was dismissed on 25 February 2005. Valencia was in sixth place in La Liga when he left.

Parma Football Club

Ranieri with Parma in 2007

On 12 February 2007, Ranieri became the new manager of Parma. He took over after the previous manager was dismissed. He lost his first game, but then achieved some impressive results. He helped Parma avoid being relegated from Serie A. They finished the season in 13th place. After helping Parma, Ranieri was linked with other managing jobs. On 31 May, Parma announced that Ranieri would not be their manager for the next season.

Juventus Football Club

On 4 June 2007, Ranieri took over at Juventus. He signed a three-year contract. His first season with Juventus was quite successful. He guided the team to a third-place finish in Serie A. This was just one season after they had been in Serie B. They qualified for the 2008–09 Champions League. In August 2008, Ranieri had a public disagreement with Inter Milan manager José Mourinho. Mourinho had replaced Ranieri at Chelsea.

Juventus started the next season strongly. They beat Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage. However, they were later knocked out by Ranieri's former team, Chelsea. Juventus then had a tough period with injuries and didn't win in seven matches. This put pressure on Ranieri. On 18 May 2009, the club dismissed Ranieri. He was replaced by Ciro Ferrara. Juventus finished the league season in second place.

Roma Football Club

On 1 September 2009, Ranieri became the new manager of Roma. He signed a two-year contract. Ranieri was born in Rome and had supported the club since he was a child. Under his leadership, Roma's performance improved a lot. They got into the championship race, getting very close to leaders Inter. Roma went on an amazing 23-match unbeaten run. They even won a big derby match against their rivals Lazio. Ranieri was praised for making brave substitutions in that game. However, Roma eventually lost their lead in Serie A. They also lost the Coppa Italia final to Inter.

The next season started poorly for Roma. Ranieri had disagreements with team captain Francesco Totti. Ranieri resigned as manager on 20 February 2011, after a series of bad results. His last game was a 4–3 loss to Genoa, where Roma lost a 3–0 lead.

Inter Milan Football Club

Ranieri with Inter Milan in 2011

On 22 September 2011, Ranieri was named the new manager of Inter. He replaced Gian Piero Gasperini. Ranieri signed a contract until June 2013. Inter won 3–1 in Ranieri's first game against Bologna. This was their first win of the season. They then had a run of seven straight wins in Serie A. This included a 1–0 victory over their rivals Milan. People started talking about them challenging for the title.

However, Inter then had a poor run of results. Their Champions League hopes were also in trouble. On 26 March 2012, Ranieri was dismissed. This happened after a 0–2 loss to Juventus and a run of only two wins in 13 games.

Monaco Football Club

Ranieri (right) in November 2012

On 30 May 2012, Ranieri signed a two-year contract with Ligue 2 club Monaco. Ranieri led Monaco to promotion to Ligue 1. They won the Ligue 2 championship title for the first time. The next season, Ranieri led Monaco to second place in 2013–14 Ligue 1. They finished behind champions Paris Saint-Germain. On 20 May 2014, his contract as Monaco manager was not renewed.

Greece National Team

Ranieri was appointed manager of the Greek national team in July 2014. He signed a two-year contract. Compared to previous managers, Ranieri often changed the team's lineup. He also did not live in Greece. He was dismissed on 15 November 2014. This was the day after a surprising 1–0 home defeat against the Faroe Islands.

In an interview in 2015, he said:

I made a mistake when I was manager of Greece. I wanted to look because it is a different job at a club to a national team. I had four matches and for each game I trained the players for just three days. That is 12 days of training. What can I do in just 12 days? I had to rebuild a national team in just 12 days. What could I do? I am not a magician.

Leicester City Football Club

First Season: A Fairytale Win

On 13 July 2015, Leicester City announced Ranieri as their new manager. He signed a three-year contract. Many people were unsure about this choice at first. Some thought it was "baffling" because Ranieri had been dismissed often recently.

Ranieri (left) on the touchline with Guus Hiddink, manager of Chelsea, during a Premier League match

Ranieri's first game with Leicester was a 4–2 win over Sunderland. After the match, Ranieri joked that he inspired the team with music from a local rock band. After Leicester's first clean sheet (no goals conceded) of the 2015–16 Premier League season, Ranieri rewarded his players. He took them out for pizza and champagne. The team had a very strong start to the season. They were at the top of the Premier League by Christmas. Striker Jamie Vardy broke a Premier League record by scoring in eleven games in a row.

Ranieri and Wes Morgan lifting the Premier League trophy after the 2015–16 season

In March 2016, Ranieri's funny comments again got attention. He said he used an "imaginary bell" in training to keep players focused. He would say "dilly ding, dilly dong." This phrase became very popular. Leicester's amazing performance brought a lot of media attention to the city.

Leicester was at the top of the Premier League in April. On 10 April 2016, they secured a spot in the 2016–17 Champions League. They kept their lead at the top of the table. In May, they knew they only needed three more points to win the Premier League trophy. Leicester drew 1–1 with Manchester United. This meant that if Tottenham Hotspur didn't win their next game, Leicester would be champions.

Leicester City won the Premier League title the next day. Tottenham could only draw 2–2 with Chelsea. This was the first time Leicester had won the title in their 132-year history. Their success was called a "fairytale" and the "most unlikely triumph in sports history." Even though Ranieri was once called "The Tinkerman," Leicester usually played the same lineup under him. They used fewer players than any other team. Ranieri used a 4–4–2 formation. This style involved strong defense and quick counter-attacks.

Throughout the season, Ranieri was praised for his good humor and leadership. He created a winning team spirit. He was also good at taking pressure off his players. His title win led some in the media to call him "King Claudio."

On the last day of the season, Leicester played at Chelsea. Chelsea gave them a special guard of honor. Ranieri received an award from Chelsea. On 16 May, Ranieri was named Manager of the Year. He also received the 2016 Best FIFA Men's Coach Award.

Second Season: Challenges and Departure

On 7 August 2016, Leicester lost 2–1 to Manchester United in the 2016 FA Community Shield. Ranieri's second Premier League season with Leicester was not as successful. By late November, the team had lost many games. They were in 14th place, just two points above the relegation zone. Experts said the team couldn't keep the same winning mindset. They also pointed to N'Golo Kanté leaving and the extra games from the Champions League.

Despite their league struggles, Leicester did well in their first Champions League campaign. They won their first three matches and kept four clean sheets. They topped their group and qualified for the knockout round. In December, Ranieri was named one of the three finalists for the 2016 Best FIFA Men's Coach award. He won the award on 9 January 2017.

On 23 February 2017, Ranieri was dismissed by Leicester. The club was just one point above the relegation zone. This decision was called a "panic decision" by some. Many fans showed their support for Ranieri in the next game. They held up banners saying "Grazie Claudio" ("Thank you, Claudio").

Soccer Aid

In April 2016, it was announced that Ranieri would manage the Rest of the World team at Soccer Aid. This is a charity football match for UNICEF. The match was held at Old Trafford in Manchester on 5 June. Ranieri's team lost 3–2 to an England team.

Nantes Football Club

On 15 June 2017, Nantes announced Ranieri as their new manager. It was later announced that Ranieri would leave the club after the season ended.

Fulham Football Club

On 14 November 2018, Ranieri was appointed manager of Fulham. In his first match, he led Fulham to a 3–2 home win against Southampton. This ended Fulham's long winless run. However, Ranieri was dismissed on 28 February 2019. He had won only three of his 17 matches in charge.

Return to Roma

On 8 March 2019, Ranieri returned to Roma after eight years. He signed a contract until the end of the 2018–19 season. In his first game back, he led his team to a 2–1 home win. In his final match for the club on 26 May, Roma won 2–1. However, they just missed out on a Champions League spot.

Sampdoria Football Club

On 12 October 2019, Ranieri signed a contract with Sampdoria until 2021. When he joined, the team was in last place in Serie A. He guided them to fifteenth place by the end of the season. After finishing ninth in the next season, Ranieri announced he would leave the club.

Watford Football Club

On 4 October 2021, Watford announced Ranieri as their new head coach. He signed a two-year contract. Watford was 15th in the Premier League at the time. Ranieri achieved some notable results, like a big win against Everton and a 4–1 win over Manchester United. However, on 24 January 2022, Ranieri was dismissed. This followed a series of poor results that left the club in the relegation zone.

Return to Cagliari

On 23 December 2022, Serie B club Cagliari announced Ranieri as their new head coach. This marked Ranieri's return to the Sardinian club. He had previously led them to two promotions from Serie C to Serie A. Ranieri guided Cagliari to fifth place in the regular season. He then successfully led them to promotion to Serie A. They beat Bari in a two-legged playoff.

In July 2023, Ranieri said in an interview that he expected Cagliari to be his last club. On 19 May 2024, Ranieri's Cagliari beat Sassuolo 2–0. This meant they would not be relegated to Serie B. Two days later, on 21 May 2024, Ranieri announced he would step down as coach after the final match. He confirmed Cagliari would be his final coaching club. He later said he might consider coaching national teams, but not other clubs. He made his final club appearance as coach on 23 May. He received a standing ovation from the crowd. This was Ranieri's 912th game as a manager in one of Europe's top leagues. Only Arsène Wenger had more. Cagliari finished the season in 16th place.

Second Return to Roma

On 13 November 2024, it was reported that Ranieri was talking with Roma about returning to the club. He was officially announced as the new head coach the next day.

After an impressive 19-game unbeaten run, Ranieri helped Roma push for Champions League qualification. A 2–1 loss to Atalanta was a setback, but Roma bounced back with two wins. They finished the 2024–25 season in 5th place.

After the season, Roma promoted Ranieri to manager and senior advisor to the club's owners. He turned down an offer to coach the Italian national team. He chose to continue his role with Roma instead.

Style of Management

Ranieri's teams usually play with a strict 4–4–2 formation. They are known for being fit and working hard. His teams are also very organized in defense and midfield. They are praised for being strong defensively and good at scoring from quick counter-attacks. His tactics with Leicester were compared to those of Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid. Both managers were able to win titles against stronger teams with less money. Besides his tactical skills, Ranieri is also praised for his leadership and good humor. He is good at motivating his players and taking pressure off them. He has used unusual methods to inspire his teams, sometimes with mixed results. His funny comments have also made him popular with the media.

Throughout his career, Ranieri has also been criticized for changing his team's lineup and tactics too much. This earned him the nickname "The Tinkerman" in the British media. While his favorite system is the 4–4–2, he has also used other formations. In the past, some critics said his tactics were "old-fashioned" and too defensive. He was also criticized for not winning a major league title until he won the Premier League with Leicester in 2016.

Honours

Manager

Cagliari

Serie C1: 1988–89
Coppa Italia Serie C: 1988–89
Serie B promotion: 1989–90, 2022–23

Fiorentina

Serie B: 1993–94
Coppa Italia: 1995–96
Supercoppa Italiana: 1996

Valencia

Copa del Rey: 1998–99
UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998
UEFA Super Cup: 2004

Monaco

Ligue 2: 2012–13

Leicester City

Premier League: 2015–16

Individual Awards

Premier League Manager of the Season: 2015–16
LMA Manager of the Year: 2015–16
LMA Premier League Manager of the Year: 2015–16
Premier League Manager of the Month: September 2003, March 2004, November 2015, March 2016, April 2016
Enzo Bearzot Award: 2016
Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2016
Gazzetta Sports Awards Coach of the Year: 2016
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award: 2016
IFFHS World's Best Club Coach (Third place): 2016
Golden Foot: 2016, as football legend
The Best FIFA Men's Coach: 2016
World Soccer Magazine World Manager of the Year: 2016
ACF Fiorentina Hall of Fame: 2022
Serie A Coach of the Month: February 2025

Orders

2nd Class / Grand Officer: Grande Ufficiale Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana: 2016
1st Class: Palma d'Oro al Merito Tecnico: 2016

Images for kids

Ranieri in 2023
Ranieri with Roma, pictured on a football sticker from 1973
Ranieri with Parma in 2007
Ranieri with Inter Milan in 2011
Ranieri (right) in November 2012
Ranieri (left) on the touchline with Guus Hiddink, manager of Chelsea, during a Premier League match
Ranieri and Wes Morgan lifting the Premier League trophy after the 2015–16 season