Gazzetta dello Sport named the top 12 unemployed football managers in 2022 and four are still without a job

Gazzetta dello Sport once named the top 12 unemployed football managers - and only eight are now in a job.

In September 2022, the Italian outlet published their list just days after Chelsea decided to sack Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel had delivered a second Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge a year earlier, but a poor start to the campaign amid disagreements with the club's board led to his exit.

The German is now back in a job, of course, with the England men's national team, having previously been in charge of Bayern Munich following his Chelsea spell.

The second name on Gazzetta's list was Tuchel's international managerial compatriot Mauricio Pochettino, who is in charge of the United States men's national team as they prepare to host the 2026 World Cup.

And ex-Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa is also likely to be in the States next summer with Uruguay.

Leicester's Premier League-winning boss Claudio Ranieri, meanwhile, was also unemployed at the time of Gazzetta's list. He is now in charge of Roma, but will retire from management at the end of the season.

Former Swansea and Leicester boss Paulo Sousa was also named. The ex-Portugal midfielder has had something of a journeyman career, which has seen him manage in Italy, France, Brazil, Hungary, Switzerland and China among others, as well as a spell with the Poland national team.

Sousa is now in charge of Shabab Al Ahli, who play in the United Arab Emirates.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, meanwhile, is currently the manager of Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas after a long spell out of the game following his Manchester United sacking in 2022.

And the final two currently employed names on Gazzetta's list were Quique Setien and Dejan Stankovic, who are in charge of Chinese side Beijing Guoan and Russian side Spartak Moscow respectively.

But what about the other four names?

Rafael Benitez

In September 2022, Rafael Benitez was still out of football after being sacked by Everton in January.

He would subsequently return to management with La Liga side Celta Vigo in June 2023. However, Celta were only two points above the relegation zone in the following March and the Spaniard was sacked for a second time in 18 months.

Joachim Low

After a managerial career that had seen him manage in Germany, Austria and Turkey, Joachim Low replaced Jurgen Klinsmann as Germany manager in 2006 and spent 15 years in the role.

Despite being linked with vacancies at Manchester United and Bayern Munich, Low has not yet returned to football and it remains to be seen whether the 65-year-old has already managed his last match.

Jorge Sampaoli

One of the biggest managerial characters in world football, Jorge Sampaoli has managed 20 teams throughout his career, including spells in charge of Argentina, Chile and Marseille.

Sampaoli was without a club at the time of the list after leaving Marseille, but has since added three teams to his CV.

His most recent club was Ligue 1 side Rennes, where he lasted just two months and 10 matches - winning three of them - before being sacked in January.

Zinedine Zidane

The big question among Zinedine Zidane fans is whether the legendary Frenchman will ever return to management, after two spells at Real Madrid.

The answer is yes - probably.

A third spell at Real doesn't seem particularly likely - although you never know - but a stint in charge of the France national team certainly does.

Zidane is the favourite to replace Didier Deschamps as France manager in 2026 (Image: Twitter)

Current head coach Didier Deschamps announced his decision to step down from his role after the 2026 World Cup, with Zidane quickly installed as the favourite to replace him.

There aren't too many other outstanding French candidates to step in - Nice coach Franck Haise could be one, with Lille's Bruno Genesio perhaps another - so if the French FA do not want to look towards a foreign manager, Zidane will surely be among the major candidates.