FIFA THE BEST
Potential Club World Cup wining coach, Ancelotti makes final cut for FIFA The Best Men’s Coach Award
Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti could earn an enviable double this month as he is among the trio in the final cut for the FIFA Men’s Coach Award.
On Saturday he leads Real Madrid to face Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the final match of the Club World Cup in Rabat Morocco. That could be his first major win this year.
Then on Monday 27 February, he will contest with the duo of Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni in the The Best FIFA Men’s Coach award.
The three are the shortlisted for the category which was released this Thursday by FIFA.
Last year’s winner was Thomas Tuchel, who ended Jurgen Klopp’s two-year reign with the trophy by finishing on top of a podium which also included Italy’s Roberto Mancini in second and Guardiola in third.
Guardiola is back for another crack at winning the award and the Manchester City boss is up against Real Madrid’s Ancelotti and Argentina’s Scaloni.
France’s Didier Deschamps and Morocco’s Walid Regragui were both on the initial five-man shortlist but an international panel, made up of men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists and fans have decided on the final three.
The award rewards a coach’s performances between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022.
None of the shortlisted trio have ever won the award before. Indeed, Guardiola is the only one of the trios to make the final three, coming third last year and second in 2019.
The City boss will hope to go one better this time around, having led his side to Premier League glory, but he’ll have to see off competition from winners of two other major trophies.
Ancelotti’s Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League, whereas Scaloni’s success came in the international game as he led Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar.
Nigerian journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji who voted under the Nigerian banner as a media practitioner in the FIFA The Best election is one of the few who got a perfect voting pattern.
His deep knowledge of the game is reflected in his vote which came as a perfect mark.
He voted this way:
- 1.Vinicious Jr., 2. Rodri, 3. Jude Bellingham
Okeleji has since 2004 been reporting for the BBC World Service Radio and Television (Focus on Africa Sport) and writes regularly for the BBC African Football website.
He also contributes to World Soccer magazine and Al Jazeera English (Sport). He is a multiple-ward winner.
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Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has been named FIFA Men’s Player after voting was conducted with fans, national coaches, and captains forming the electoral college.
Nigerians may wish to know how their coaches and captain voted. Coach Augustine Owen Eguavoen voted as follows:
- Lionel Messi, 2. Vinícius Jr, 3. Rodri.
Messi, Eguavoen’s first choice did not make the top three. He placed sixth overall.
The Super Eagles captain, William Troost Ekong’s voting sheet reveals he voted this way:
1. Jude Bellingham, 2. Vinícius Jr, 3. Rodri
He nearly had a perfect scoring as the trio made the top three, but Bellingham finished third.
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After controversially missing being named this year’s Ballon d’Or winner,Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named FIFA Men’s player of the Year in Doha on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid clinch the LaLiga and Champions League double. He also scored in the final win over Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian won the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and his teammate at Real, England’s Jude Bellingham.
The 24-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri in October, was in Doha to collect the award, with Real in Qatar for Wednesday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca.
“It seemed impossible when I played barefoot in the streets of Sao Goncalo and now I’m here,” Vinicius said.
Bonmati retained the FIFA women’s Player of the Year award ahead of Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, having also won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year in October.
The 26-year-old helped her club to a domestic treble last season in a campaign in which Barca also retained the Champions League, and Bonmati scored in the semi-final and final when Spain won the Nations League in February.
“I’m very grateful for this award, but I always say that this is a team effort, with a Barca that won everything and the national team,” Bonmati said.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the best men’s coach award after the Italian led his club to the league and Champions League double last season.
“I want to share this with the club, with my president and with my players, those of the best club in the world,” Ancelotti said.
-Reuters
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