Although there are some notable exceptions, the majority of top-level football managers previously played professionally.
Coaches who were defenders, midfielders or strikers are all common throughout the history of the game.
But there is one position which has produced relatively few top managers or coaches: goalkeeper.
It is perhaps understable given that, historically at least, the goalkeeper is more isolated from the rest of the team. These days, though, the position is changing and the GK is much more involved tactically than ever before.
Here, a look at some goalkeepers who have gone on to become coaches or managers, with varying degrees of success...
32. Bryan Gunn
A hero at Norwich City from his playing days, Bryan Gunn was in goal as the Canaries finished third in the inaugural Premier League in 1993.
Appointed manager in 2009, Gunn was unable to save Norwich from relegation to League One and he was sacked six days after a humiliating 7-1 loss to Colchester the following season.
31. Don Mackay
Born in Glasgow, Don Mackay spent 10 years at Dundee United as a goalkeeper and also played for Forfar Athletic and Southend United.
As a manager, he was in charge of United's rivals Dundee between 1980 and 1984. He later worked at Coventry, Blackburn Rovers – where he won the now-defunct Full Member's Cup in 1987 – and Fulham.
30. Sergio Guedes
Sergio Guedes played for 13 different clubs in a much-travelled career as a goalkeeper and won seven caps for Brazil between 1990 and 1992.
As a coach, he has worked with even more teams and won a Copa Paulista in his third spell at lower-league side Portuguesa Santista in 2023.
29. David James
One of the finest goalkeepers of his generation, David James won 53 England caps between 1997 and 2010.
The former Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham and Manchester City goalkeeper finished his career with Kerala Blasters in India in 2014 and returned to the Super League side for a spell as manager in 2017/18.
28. Victor Valdes
Victor Valdes was Barcelona's goalkeeper for their greatest-ever era and was part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad in 2010, earning 20 caps overall.
Valdes retired from football in 2017 following a spell at Middlesbrough and took his UEFA Pro Licence alongside contemporaries Xavi, Raul and Xabi Alonso. He coached Barça's Juvenil A side in 2019, but left due to a fallout with La Masia director Patrick Kluivert. The following year, he had a short spell at lower league side Horta, but left after less than eight months in charge.
27. Harry Gregg
Sometimes referred to as "the hero of Munich" for rescuing his Manchester United team-mates – including Bobby Charlton – by pulling them from the burning plane in the 1958 crash, Harry Gregg played at Old Trafford as a goalkeeper between 1957 and 1966.
The Northern Ireland international retired after a single season at Stoke City and went on to manage Shrewsbury Town, Swansea City, Crewe Alexandra and Carlisle United in his managerial career. He passed away in 2020.
26. Federico Vilar
Federico Vilar came through the youth academy at Boca Juniors but the goalkeeper started his career at Almirante Brown and spent most of his playing days in Mexico.
He won trophies as a player with Atlante and Morelia and returned to Mexico to coach Cancun in 2021/22. In 2023, he took charge at Argentine side Arsenal de Sarandi.
25. Peter Shilton
One of England's greatest goalkeepers, Peter Shilton won a record 125 caps for the Three Lions and played in three World Cups.
Less than two years after his last England appearance, Shilton joined Plymouth Argyle as player-manager, but was unable to save the club from relegation to England's third tier. After missing out on promotion and with the club heading for relegation again in 1995, he left to resume his playing career full time at the age of 45.
24. Chris Turner
Chris Turner made over 500 competitive appearances in a long career as a goalkeeper, featuring for Sheffield Wednesday across two spells, Sunderland and Manchester United.
After retiring in 1994, Turner stayed on at Leyton Orient to become manager. Later, he had stints at Hartlepool United (twice), Wednesday and Stockport County between 1994 and 2010.
23. Roberto Rojas
Roberto Rojas' career ended in disgrace after he faked being hit by a firework in a World Cup qualifier for Chile against Brazil in 1989 in an attempt to see the match abandoned.
The goalkeeper was banned for life, but was later handed a pardon. He went on to work as interim coach at Sao Paulo and Sport Recife and had a spell in charge of Guarani in Paraguay.
22. Neville Southall
A legend at Everton and with Wales, Neville Southall won 92 caps for the Dragons in a 15-year international career between 1982 and 1997.
Southall was appointed as caretaker manager of Wales, alongside Mark Hughes, but his only match ended in a 2-0 defeat to Denmark. He later had spells at non-league clubs Dover Athletic and Hastings Town.
21. Lionel Charbonnier
Lionel Charbonnier picked up only one cap for France, but the former Auxerre and Rangers goalkeeper was part of Les Bleus' World Cup-winning squad in 1998.
After coaching a couple of smaller sides in France, Charbonnier led Tahiti's Under-20 side to the Oceania Football Confederation championship in 2008 and qualified the team for the World Cup at that age group.
20. Nigel Adkins
Nigel Adkins made over 300 appearances as a goalkeeper in spells at Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Bangor City in the 1980s and 1990s.
As a manager, he is best remembered for his time at Southampton, when he took the Saints from League One to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions before he was replaced by Mauricio Pochettino in 2013.
19. Hernan Cristante
Hernan Cristante started out at Gimnasia y Esgrima but spent most of his career in Mexico with Toluca. He also won six caps for Argentina.
The goalkeeper won a series of trophies during his time as a player at Toluca and returned later for two spells as coach. He also had short stints at Tepic, Queretaro and Juarez.
18. Zetti
Zetti played 17 times for Brazil between 1993 and 1997 and the former Sao Paulo and Santos goalkeeper was part of the squad which won the 1994 World Cup.
After retirement, he had a number of short spells as coach mostly in Brazilian football, with the likes of Paulista, Fortaleza, Sao Caetano, Bahia and Atletico Mineiro.
17. Mike Walker
After spells at Reading, York City and Watford, Mike Walker played in goal for 10 years at Colchester United. He also won four caps for Wales at Under-23 level.
Father of former Tottenham and England goalkeeper Ian, he took Norwich City to a third-place finish in the Premier League in 1993 and was in charge as the Canaries beat Bayern Munich in Europe the following season. He later joined Everton, but was less successful at Goodison Park and returned to Norwich for a second spell between 1996 and 1998.
16. Pietro Carmignani
Pietro Carmignani played as a goalkeeper for a number of Italian clubs in the 1960s and 1970s – including Napoli, Juventus and Fiorentina.
As a coach, he was a trusty assistant to Arrigo Sacchi for AC Milan, Italy, Atletico Madrid and Parma. He also had two spells in charge of Parma in his own right and won the Coppa Italia in 2001/02.
15. Rogerio Ceni
Rogerio Ceni is a Sao Paulo legend after making over 1,000 appearances for the club and the goalkeeper was part of Brazil's World Cup-winning squad in 2002.
As a coach, Ceni has had spells at Sao Paulo, Fortaleza and Cruzeiro, among others. He was most successful at Flamengo, winning the Brazilian championship, the Supercopa and the Campeonato Carioca in 2021.
14. Robert Siboldi
Robert Siboldi played in goal for Uruguay, winning 34 caps, and picked up two league titles and a Copa Libertadores at Peñarol.
Siboldi also played in Mexico with Tigres and later returned to the country as coach, winning trophies with the Monterrey side, Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul.
13. Julio Cesar Falcioni
Julio Cesar Falcioni spent eight years at America de Cali in the 1980s and won five titles with the Colombian club. He was capped once by Argentina and was part of the 1989 Copa America squad.
As a coach, he won league titles with Banfield and Boca Juniors, in 2009 and 2011 respectively, and also led the latter to the final of the Copa Libertadores in 2012.
12. Emerson Leao
World champion as a reserve goalkeeper in 1970, Emerson Leao went on to win 80 caps for Brazil and finished his career with Sport Recife in 1986.
He led the Recife side to a Brazilian championship the following year as coach and was successful at Santos later on, winning a league title in 2002 and taking the club all the way to the final of the Copa Libertadores in 2003.
11. Nery Pumpido
Nery Pumpido was in goal for Argentina as the South Americans won the World Cup in 1986 and won 36 caps in total before a broken leg at Italia 90 curtailed his international career.
As a coach, he started out at Union de Santa Fe and won a regional title with his old club, before leading Paraguayan side Olimpia to the Copa Libertadores crown in 2002.
10. Rafael Dudamel
Rafael Dudamel won 57 caps for Venezuela between 1993 and 2010. After retirement that same year, the goalkeeper immediately took up coaching.
Dudamel was in charge of Venezuela between 2016 and 2020, having previously coached the nation's Under-17 and U-20 sides. He won a Colombian title with Deportivo Cali in 2021.
9. Enrique Meza
Enrique Meza played as a goalkeeper for Mexican sides Cruz Azul and Tigres in the 1960s and 1970s.
After his retirement, he began coaching at Cruz Azul and went on to enjoy a long career, winning trophies at Toluca and later at Pachuca – including four league titles, two CONCACAF Champions Cups and a Copa Sudamericana.
8. Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno Espirito Santo played as a goalkeeper in Portugal, Spain and Russia and won a series of trophies as back-up to Vitor Baia at Porto under Jose Mourinho.
He later followed Mourinho into coaching and after leading Valencia into the Champions League, he won the Championship with Wolves in 2017/18. Following a difficult short spell at Spurs, he took Al-Ittihad to the Saudi Pro League in 2023 before returning to the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.
7. Michel Preud'homme
Michel Preud'homme is a goalkeeping legend in Belgium and won 58 caps in a 15-year international career. At his peak, he was one of the best in the world.
As a coach, Preud'homme has also been successful, winning Belgian titles with Standard Liege and Club Brugge, along with trophies at Gent, FC Twente and Al-Shabab.
6. Ricardo La Volpe
Ricardo La Volpe played as a goalkeeper for Banfield and San Lorenzo and later had a spell in Mexico. He won eight caps for Argentina and was part of the squad which won the 1978 World Cup.
His long coaching career was spent mostly in Mexico and he led Atlante to the title in 1992/93. Later, he won a Gold Cup with the Mexican national team and was in charge of El Tri at the 2006 World Cup.
5. Walter Zenga
One of Italy's best-ever goalkeepers, Walter Zenga won 58 caps for the Azzurri between 1987 and 1992.
As a coach, Zenga has had a long career working all over the world – including spells in Italy, England, USA, UAE, Qatar, Romania and Serbia. He won a Romanian league title with Steaua Bucharest and a league and cup double at Red Star Belgrade.
4. Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui played in goal for both Real Madrid and Barcelona and made one appearance for Spain, but was a back-up for most of his career.
As a coach, he enjoyed success with Spain after a spell at Porto, but was dismissed on the eve of the 2018 World Cup after it emerged he had agreed to take over at Real Madrid after the tournament. Later, he led Sevilla to the Europa League title in 2020.
3. Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff is one of Italy's goalkeeping greats and the legendary former Juventus and Napoli shot-stopper crowned a memorable playing career by captaining the Azzurri to the 1982 World Cup at the age of 40.
As a coach, he later led Juventus to the UEFA Cup and the Coppa Italia in 1990. And 10 years later, he took Italy to the final of Euro 2000 and almost won it, with the Azzurri denied by a late French equaliser and then a golden goal in Rotterdam. He later had spells at Lazio and Fiorentina.
2. Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena's career as a goalkeeper was fairly unremarkable, although he did win a solitary cap for the USA in a match against Israel in 1973.
As a coach, he has been much more successful: Arena won an array of silverware with both DC United and LA GAlaxy and led the USA to three Gold Cup triumphs across two spells in charge.
1. Raymond Goethals
Born in 1921, Raymond Goethals started out as a goalkeeper at the wonderfully named Daring Club Brussels and spent his entire career in his native Belgium
Goethals would later gain much more notoriety as a coach. He led Belgium to third place at Euro 1972, won the European Cup Winners' Cup with Anderlecht and became the oldest European Cup-winning manager – at the age of 71 – as Marseille beat AC Milan to claim the trophy in 1993. He passed away in 2004.
