Claudio Ranieri is one of the most legendary figures in Leicester City’s history, having lifted an unprecedented Premier League title with The Foxes in 2016.
The Italian head coach enjoyed a marvellous tenure at King Power Stadium which produced one of the greatest underdog stories in all of sports.
Ranieri stewarded Leicester City‘s 2015/16 team, which defeated the 5000/1 odds and became champions of England for the first in the club’s history.
It came after City had completed the great escape to avoid relegation the previous term under Nigel Pearson.
Ranieri’s personality and charisma shone through in press conferences and he became the darling of the Premier League during his time with City.
Here’s a deep dive into the life and career of Ranieiri, including answers to all of your frequently asked questions.
Claudio Ranieri personal profile
- Full name: Claudio Ranieri Grande Ufficiale OMRI
- Age: 72 (20 October 1951)
- Birthplace: Rome, Italy
- Height: 6’0″ (1.82m)
When did Claudio Ranieri join Leicester City?
Claudio Ranieri joined the East Midlanders in July 2015 following a four-game spell as the Greece manager.
He managed The Foxes 81 times in just under 18 months and during that time he won the Premier League.
Why did Claudio Ranieri leave Leicester City?
Ranieri departed Leicester City in February 2017 after a run of poor results which left them in 17th, one point above the relegation zone.
His exit caused outrage across the footballing world, with former City player turned pundit Gary Lineker saying: “After all that Claudio Ranieri has done for Leicester City, to sack him now is inexplicable, unforgivable and gut-wrenchingly sad.”
What teams has Claudio Ranieri managed?
The Italian has managed all over the continent and has enjoyed 23 spells throughout his glittering 38-year career in the dugout.
Ranieri’s managerial career:
- Vigor Lamezia (July 1986 – June 1987)
- Puteolana 1902 (July 1987 – January 1988)
- Puteolana 1902 (May 1988 – June 1988)
- Cagliari Calcio (July 1988 – June 1991)
- Napoli (July 1991 – November 1992)
- Fiorentina (July 1993 – June 1997)
- Valencia (September 1997 – June 1999)
- Atletico Madrid (July 1999 – March 2000)
- Chelsea (September 2000 – June 2004)
- Valencia (July 2004 – February 2005)
- Parma (February 2007 – June 2007)
- Juventus (July 2007 – May 2009)
- AS Roma (September 2009 – February 2011)
- Inter (September 2011 – March 2012)
- Monaco (July 2012 – May 2014)
- Greece (July 2014 – November 2014)
- Leicester City (July 2015 – February 2017)
- FC Nantes (July 2017 – May 2018)
- Fulham (November 2018 – February 2019)
- AS Roma (March 2019 – June 2019)
- Sampdoria (October 2019 – June 2021)
- Watford (October 2021 – January 2022)
- Cagliari Calcio (January 2023 – current)
Who does Claudio Ranieri manage now?
The 72-year-old has been the manager of Cagliari Calcio since January 2023 and led the club to the Serie A in his first six months at the club.
He currently has the newly promoted Italian outfit in 16th, two points above the relegation zone.
What happened to Claudio Ranieri at Watford?
The former Foxes manager was sacked by Watford in January 2022 after three months in charge. He left The Hornets in 19th place and they ultimately suffered relegation to the Championship at the end of the campaign.
Why is Claudio Ranieri called the ‘tinkerman’?
Ranieri was attributed the nickname ‘tinkerman’ by the British media during his near four-year spell at Chelsea.
Many felt he over-rotated his team too often, though, despite the critics, the Italian guided the West London club to a runners-up finish behind the Arsenal Invincibles in his final season at the club.
What was Claudio Ranieri like as a player?
Formerly of Catanzaro, Catania, Palermo and AS Roma, Ranieri was a defender during his playing career and made 351 professional appearances, with 164 of those coming in Italy’s top flight.
Who is Claudio Ranieiri’s wife?
Ranieri is married to Dr.Rosana, who is a nephrologist that practices in the United States of America. The pair have a daughter together called Claudia.
Claudia is married to a famous Italian actor called Alessandro Roja.