Walid Regragui misses out as FIFA announce final shortlist for award

FIFA The Best Men's Coach of the Year

Walid Regragui misses out as FIFA announce final shortlist for award

Ayoola Kelechi 17:49 - 09.02.2023

Despite Morocco's heroics, Regragui missed out on the final three

Football’s governing body, FIFA have whittled down the nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year, and it conspicuously left out Morocco’s record-breaking coach Walid Regragui from the final three. 

Regragui snubbed despite Morocco’s incredible World Cup run

Regraui led Morocco’s unprecedented run to the World Cup semifinals, becoming the African manager to coach and also win in a World Cup quarterfinal, as the first manager ever to lead an African side to the World Cup semifinals. 

Regragui and Morocco made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

However, this was not enough for FIFA’s international jury who selected three other coaches ahead of him to compete in the final stage for the prestigious award. 

Regragui’s feat with the national team earned him plaudits and recognition within and outside Africa, and he was on the initial five-man shortlist for the award but failed to make it to the final stage of consideration. 

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year final three nominees 

Instead of Regragui, who earned the nickname “the Moroccan Guardiola” for his likeness to the Spaniard gaffer, FIFA’s jurors have decided to go for the ‘real’ Pep Guardiola, in their final selection, alongside World Cup winner Lionel Scaloni, and UEFA Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid. 

Guardiola’s exploits in reaching the semifinals of the UCL, as well as winning his fourth Premier League title in five years earned him a spot in the final three while Ancelotti’s UCL and LaLiga double were enough to earn him a spot as well. 

Lionel Scaloni added the World Cup title to the Copa America and Finalissima titles (Pressinphoto)

Scaloni makes the list on the back of a superb year in consideration that saw him win both the Finalissima and the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, bringing to an end the country’s decades of hunger for a world title. 

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