Ribéry joins the new UEFA Pro coaching elite
The former French forward Franck Ribéry has obtained the UEFA Pro coaching licence, certified by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) after passing the master’s programme taught at the Coverciano sports centre, which qualifies him to manage at the highest level of professional football.
List of new UEFA Pro licence holders
The FIGC announced last week the official list of UEFA Pro coaches, a credential that allows managing in the top tier of football. Among the names listed, Ribéry himself stands out, considered one of the great champions who now joins the technical elite.
Ribéry, 43, hung up his boots as an active player at Salernitana in 2022. His retirement marked the end of a career that included spells at several Italian clubs.
His final phase as a footballer took place in Italy, where he signed for Fiorentina from Bayern in 2019 and it was there that he completed the master’s programme that granted him the UEFA Pro licence. In April he attended a training session with Racing Como as part of his internship, and he recalls his achievements with Bayern, including a Champions League and nine Bundesliga titles between 2007 and 2019.
Other former players joining the coaching staff
Among the newly licensed also are the former Slovenian goalkeeper Samir Handanović, 42, who guarded Inter between 2012 and 2023 and now coaches the club’s Under‑17 side. The Serbian full‑back Aleksandar Kolarov, 40, adds to his résumé two Premier Leagues with Manchester City and a Serie A title with Inter. Alessandro Diamanti Ache, 43, is already working as the coach of Cesena in Serie B.
The FIGC master’s programme will restart in September, and among the licence candidates appear figures such as Pepe Reina, Domenico Criscito, and the assistants of Roberto Mancini, Leonardo Bonucci and Massimo Maccarone.
The photo accompanying the news bears the credit “Icon Sport via Getty Images” and, among those captured, goalkeeper Ter Stegen also appears, recalled in the federation’s recent reports.