List of MLS Cup winning head coaches
The list of MLS Cup winning head coaches includes four head coaches who have won multiple times — Bruce Arena, who has won five times; and Sigi Schmid, Frank Yallop, and Dominic Kinnear, who have each won twice. To date, two head coaches have led two different clubs to win the MLS Cup: Sigi Schmid with Los Angeles Galaxy in 2002 and Columbus Crew in 2008, and Bruce Arena with D.C. United in 1996 & 1997, and Los Angeles Galaxy in 2011, 2012 & 2014.
Only one head coach has won the playoffs as both a player and head coach. Piotr Nowak, played for Chicago Fire during their 1998 MLS Cup title, in which he was named the Man of the Match. Nowak subsequently led D.C. United as a coach to their fourth MLS Cup title in 2004. The next closest head coach to such an achievement is Dominic Kinnear. Kinnear was on the Colorado Rapids squad that lost the 1997 MLS Cup final; however, he led Houston Dynamo to two straight MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007. He is still the present manager of the club.
Winning head coaches
Coaches with multiple MLS Cup victories
Wins | Head coach | Team(s) won with (years) | Coaching career |
---|---|---|---|
5 | Bruce Arena | D.C. United (1996, 1997) Los Angeles Galaxy (2011, 2012, 2014) |
1996–1999, 2006–Present |
2 | Sigi Schmid | Los Angeles Galaxy (2002) |
1999–2005, 2006–Present |
2 | Frank Yallop | San Jose Earthquakes (2001, 2003) | 2001–2004, 2006–Present |
2 | Dominic Kinnear | Houston Dynamo (2006, 2007) | 2004–Present |
By nationality
Nation | Head Coaches | Total |
---|---|---|
United States | 8 | 13 |
Canada | 1 | 2 |
Germany | 1 | 2 |
England | 1 | 1 |
Netherlands | 1 | 1 |
Poland | 1 | 1 |