Best FIFA Men's Coach

The Finalists

Claudio RANIERI

ITALY

Claudio Ranieri achieved the seemingly impossible with Leicester City. The Foxes were ranked 5000/1 by some bookmakers to win the 2015/16 English Premier League title when the Italian first took charge in July 2015 – the same odds as Elvis Presley being found alive and conclusive proof of the existence of the Loch Ness Monster. While it seemed that staving off relegation was the best Leicester could hope for before the campaign began, Ranieri would go on to inspire his charges, instilling an unrivalled team spirit as Leicester went on to incredibly win the Premier League against all odds, and claim the club’s first-ever top-flight title in their 132-year history.

Fernando SANTOS

   PORTUGAL

An electrical and telecommunications engineer by trade, Fernando Santos earned a place in footballing history by steering Portugal to their first major title at UEFA EURO 2016. In getting the most out of a side built around its undisputed leader in Cristiano Ronaldo, Santos applied his philosophy of “strength and unity”, instilling genuine team spirit among his players. Tactically astute and methodical in his approach, Santos fashioned a tightly knit side that proved solid in defence and lethal up front. With his substitutes playing just as crucial a role in Portugal’s success as his first-choice players, Santos once again displayed his game management skills and an innate ability to deploy his players in response to the situation.

Zinedine ZIDANE

     FRANCE

In his first season as a Real Madrid player, Zinedine Zidane delivered the club's ninth UEFA Champions League title. His maiden campaign in the Bernabeu dugout was no less momentous, as he led the Merengues to European Cup number 11 and became just the seventh man to win the competition as both a player and a coach. After being appointed to replace Rafael Benitez in January 2016, the Frenchman promptly set about turning around the fortunes of a team that had looked destined for another trophyless season. He may have fallen just short of overhauling Barcelona in the league, despite victory in El Clasico, but he more than made up for that by guiding his side to European glory. 

LIST OF OTHER CONTENDERS 

The final contenders for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2016 have been revealed.  The winner will be revealed at the ceremony in Zurich on 9 January.

Lizarazu: Zidane does nothing piecemeal

QUESTIONS ASKED TO LIZARAZU

FIFA.com: A few years ago, did you ever imagine Zinedine Zidane becoming a coach?Bixente Lizarazu?
 If you look at someone like Didier Deschamps, he was already a coach during his playing days due to his way of thinking. Zizou wasn't necessarily the same, but everyone has their own approach. He told himself that this was the best way of getting back into football and he did everything he could to understand the job. That's what makes him exceptional – that determination he puts into something when he's decided to do it. People who don't know him don't realise how determined he is, in addition to his talent. And he's followed this path with a lot of humility, step by step. He got his badges, observed, listened and then decided at some point he was ready. What's incredible is that he won the Champions League in just a few months. Plus he's overseen a long unbeaten run. He's currently beating every record in terms of getting early success.

How do you account for his rapid success as a coach?
Zizou does nothing piecemeal. His career has been built over a long period, with a certain consistency at important moments. He had lots of great moments with France and Real Madrid, and it's his entire career that's been incredible. He's started very well as a coach, but for me that's something else he'll build over a long period. It's very difficult to win the Champions League, even for an experienced coach.

How do you explain Zidane becoming a leader of men after being fairly quiet during his playing days?
  
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2016/17- Calendar of Champions League matches

28–29/06/16: First qualifying round, first leg 

05–06/07/16: First qualifying round, second leg

12–13/07/16: Second qualifying round, first leg

19–20/07/16: Second qualifying round, second leg 

26–27/07/16: Third qualifying round, first leg 

02–03/08/16: Third qualifying round, second leg 

16–17/08/16: Play-off round, first leg 

23–24/08/16: Play-off round, second leg 

13–14/09/16: Group stage, matchday one 

27–28/09/16: Group stage, matchday two 

18–19/10/16: Group stage, matchday three 

01–02/11/16: Group stage, matchday four 

22–23/11/16: Group stage, matchday five 

06–07/12/16: Group stage, matchday six 

14–15/02/17 and 21–22/02/17: Round of 16, first leg 

07–08/03/17 and 14–15/03/17: Round of 16, second leg 

11–12/04/17: Quarter-finals, first leg 

18–19/04/17: Quarter-finals, second leg 

02–03/05/17: Semi-finals, first leg 

09–10/05/17: Semi-finals, second leg 

03/06/17: Final (National Stadium of Wales, Cardiff)

• 2016/17 access list
• Competition photos
• Video highlights, interviews, archive action
• History section
• Statistics centre
• Latest fixtures and results

Team of the Year 2016

The all-star selection includes four newcomers, a front line that needs no introduction and a record-breaking goalkeeper. 

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus & Italy)

At 38, Buffon is the oldest ever player to make the cut.
Returns to the Team of the Year after a nine-year absence!
Thirteen-year span between first and most recent selections is a record (Cristiano Ronaldo is on 12).
In the all-star XI for a fourth time, surpassing Manuel Neuer (3). Iker Casillas, with six, holds the record for goalkeeper selections.

Defender: Jérôme Boateng (Bayern München & Germany)

Selected for the first time after a third successive nomination.
Previous Bayern defenders to have made the cut: Bixente Lizarazu, Patrik Andersson, David Alaba and Lahm          

Defender: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid & Spain)

Received more votes than any other player.
In the team for the sixth time, equalling Carles Puyol's record for a defender.
Fifth successive selection – no other defender has ever managed more than three in a row.

READ ABOUT TEAM  here

MORE:-

Ultimate Team of the Year: the all-time XI

Stars react to inclusion in 2016 selection

Real Madrid equals Barça's unbeaten record

Victory against Granada in their first Liga outing of the year has extended Real Madrid's unbeaten run to 39 games in all competitions, equaling the Spanish record set by Barcelona last term.

Real Madrid have equaled Barcelona's Spanish record of 39 matches unbeaten in all competitions.

Zinédine Zidane's team emulated the feat achieved by their great rivals when they defeated Granada 5-0 in their first Liga fixture of 2017. Coincidentally, it was the Santiago Bernabéu club who ended Barcelona's streak, prevailing 2-1 at the Camp Nou on 2 April 2016 thanks to a late Cristiano Ronaldo goal.

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MORE 

• Cristiano Ronaldo reclaims Ballon d'Or from Messi

• Four Madrid players in UEFA.com Team of the Year 2016

• How brilliant is Sergio Ramos?

Man United to hand Antoine Griezmann equal wages to Paul Pogba

Manchester United have already held preliminary talks with Antoine Griezmann's representatives about a transfer from Atletico Madrid to Old Trafford, the Sun claims, with the France international having been promised wages to match Paul Pogba's if he swaps La Liga for the Premier League.

Griezmann and Pogba are friends off the pitch and could soon link up for club as well as country if the report is to be believed.

Pogba, who joined United for a world record transfer fee of £89.3 million in the summer, earns a reported £220,000 a week and Griezmann can expect the same wages and bonuses if a move is agreed.

COMPLETE TRANSFER TALK

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