The shortlist for the FIFA Best Men’s Coach award has been announced, and we’re all here for it. It’s the most prestigious award for a football coach, and the best is selected based on the votes cast by national team coaches, national team captains, fans, and journalists. However, the initial pool of contenders\ is chosen by a panel of experts.
Although the voting window for the 2023 season is over, you can still make the most out of it by betting on the market! In case you didn’t know, most reputable bookmakers offer odds on the best FIFA football coach. This post discusses the top three candidates and why they’re the most likely to win the award.
Main Contenders for the Coach of the Year Title
Last year was all about Argentina. The men’s national team secured their 3rd FIFA World Cup trophy. The victory came against France in the final match. It gave Lionel Messi a taste of the World Cup for the first time. Needless to say, coach Lionel Scaloni had a big influence on team building and performance. He won last year’s FIFA Best Men’s Coach award to commemorate his victories.
Interestingly, he’s not one of the early favourites according to current data. Let’s look at the contender list and try to understand how they’ve climbed the ladder of the favourites.
Pep Guardiola
To football fans worldwide, Pep Guardiola is nothing shy of a legend. His excellent coaching style has been proven successful many times, a legacy he continues with Manchester City. The fact that Man City won five Premier League titles after he came on board says enough about his capabilities.
He’s also the first and so far only football manager in history to win trebles for two different clubs. Guardiola achieved it with Barcelona and Manchester City!
So, there’s no wonder why Pep Guardiola is one of the favourites for the FIFA Best Coach Award 2023. Another key reason is his vision for teams beyond just the team. He has been a maestro of tactical innovation and talent hunting, something every club needs in their arsenal.
Xavi Hernandez
The former Barca legend of the field has also shown immense potential in the role of a manager. He’s one of the most popular players of all time who also makes a name as a coach. This is why he comes second in our list of the best potential FIFA Coach of the Year award winners.
Most fans agree that FC Barcelona was at its prime during the Pep Guardiola regime. The ranking at that also corroborates this claim. With a young Lionel Messi paired with mature players such as Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, Barca’s legacy was unparalleled at the time.
The team was trying to find itself after Guardiola’s departure and before Hernandez’s arrival. Xavi seems to have rejuvenated the squad’s spirit by shuffling the lineup and going after the right players.
The fact that he made it as one of the FIFA Coach of the Year Award nominees shows that fans and experts appreciate his contributions.
Luciano Spalletti
With coaching experience for teams like Inter Milan, Roma, and Napoli, Luciano Spalleti brings a unique flavor to the lineup of the best coaches. He led Napoli to its first Serie A title in 33 years! Now, he’s on a mission to rebuild Italy’s national team to regain its claim as the world champion.
Primarily, Spalletti is known for cleverly crafting player lineups that bring results. His methods are highly tactical and free from emotions. You may not know that Spalletti used to play for Italian clubs such as Entella, Spezia, Viareggio, and Empoli back in the day. His coaching career also started with Empoli, eventually leading to opportunities at Roma and Napoli. Finally, the job as the head coach of Italy’s national team is the cherry on top.
During his career, Luciano Spalletti has many times won the Serie A Coach of the Year and Coach of the Month titles. All we can do now is wait and see if he can bag the Best Coach Award by FIFA.
Conclusion
From the number of votes cast on the best coach award FIFA on the official website, it’s clear that the fans and everyone associated with the industry are eagerly waiting for the results. Whoever wins the title will win it on their merit and their contribution to the team.
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FAQ
Who won the FIFA Best Coach Award 2022?
The 2022 FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year award went to Lionel Scaloni, the World Cup-winning coach of the Argentina team. And the women’s coach award went to Sarian Wiegman, who coaches the Netherlands team.
How to vote for FIFA Coach of the Year?
You can vote in various categories on the FIFA official website as a fan. The site usually declares when the voting opens and closes in advance. Keep an eye on the site as soon as a season starts to avoid missing out on the ballot.
Who is most likely to win this year?
Well, it’s the votes that are going to decide the winner of this year’s FIFA Coach Award. From what we can tell from the anticipation and expert opinions, Pep Guardiola is leading the pack with his impeccable records demonstrated by Manchester City.
Who is the best coach in football history?
It is a bit subjective. However, iif statistics are something to go by, Sir Alex Ferguson is often considered the best of all time. He has coached for a whopping 39 years, and he spent a total of 2,153 games in the dugout!
