During the Abramovich takeover, Ranieri kept Chelsea in the race, leading them to the Champions League quarter-finals and a second-place finish in the Premier League, even though he never won a trophy.

2. José Mourinho (First Spell: July 2004 – Sept 2007)

Under Mourinho, Chelsea rose to become a top European club, clinching back-to-back Premier League crowns, an FA Cup, and two League Cups. His style of management completely changed the way the club functioned.

3. Avram Grant (Nov 2007 – May 2008)

After succeeding Mourinho, Grant guided Chelsea to contest the Champions League final and helped the club keep their domestic place secure, even without a major title to their name.

4. Luiz Felipe Scolari (July 2008 – Feb 2009)

The team that won the World Cup, Brazil, had a good start but experienced difficulties later on and was eliminated midway through the season.

5. Guus Hiddink (Interim 2009)

Piet de Visser got Manchester United back on track, winning the 2009 FA Cup and drawing just one game as interim coach before returning to the Netherlands.

6. Carlo Ancelotti (June 2009 – May 2011)

In the 2009–10 season, Ancelotti made history for Chelsea by claiming the first league and cup double in the club’s history but was later relieved of his duties as results dropped.

7. André Villas‑Boas (July 2011 – March 2012)

When Villas‑Boas was promoted to Chelsea after Porto, he struggled to fit in and was fired mid‑season when the team’s performance remained poor (not in search, but widely talked about).

8. Roberto Di Matteo (Interim Mar 2012 – Nov 2012)

Shortly after taking over the team, he led Chelsea to their first Champions League victory in 2012 and also won the FA Cup, gaining admiration from Chelsea fans.

9. Rafael Benítez (Interim Nov 2012 – May 2013)

Despite having to watch from the stands, the former Liverpool manager helped Chelsea lift the Europa League trophy.

10. José Mourinho (Second Spell July 2013 – Dec 2015)

Mourinho’s second coming ended with him winning the Premier League and League Cup, but he also sparked disputes and had his contract torn up due to poor results.

11. Antonio Conte (July 2016 – July 2018)

Under Conte, Chelsea came back to life, securing the 2016–17 Premier League title using a 3–4–3 system and went on to claim the 2018 FA Cup.

12. Maurizio Sarri (July 2018 – June 2019)

Sarri adopted a lively attacking approach and helped Chelsea reach the Europa League final, winning the trophy in the process—even though this is sometimes not seen as a significant achievement (common).

13. Frank Lampard (July 2019 – Jan 2021; Apr 2023 – June 2023)

A player known for his dedication, Lampard enjoyed some success with kids and achieved consistent results for over a year, but could not maintain his team’s form. The second attempt at his presidency was a failure.

14. Graham Potter (Sept 2022 – Apr 2023)

While there was promise when Potter moved from Brighton, his team ended up in the middle of the table, prompting him to leave early.

15. Mauricio Pochettino (July 2023 – June 2024)

Todd Boehly promoted Pochettino, who gave glimpses of his tactical insight. Following the League Cup and FA Cup results of 2025, both Sevilla and the coach decided to part ways without any trophies.

Conclusion

Since Roman Abramovich joined Chelsea in 2003, the club has seen 15 head coaches (excluding caretaker managers) and has gone through periods where it excels, as well as seasons that are hard to finish. Victory periods are always remembered, but many short stints and high demands have created a bumpy history for Arsenal managers. Every manager tried different methods and had their own attitude, revealing both the club’s determination and unpredictability. In 2025, there is still no answer as to who will guide Chelsea through the next turnover era.