Arsene Wenger handed over the The Best FIFA Men's Coach award to Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
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Ancelotti named The Best FIFA Men's Coach Wenger cracked a joke while handing over the award Real take on Pachuca in Intercontinental Cup final on WednesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Ancelotti received the Best FIFA Men's Coach Award 2024 after guiding Real Madrid to La Liga and Champions League titles in the 2023/24 season. The Italian coach accepted the prize from legendary ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger who jokingly said "What a surprise" while announcing the Los Blancos boss' name.
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This was Ancelotti's second major award of the year after being named the Men's Coach of the Year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in March. Real Madrid stars dominated the FIFA award ceremony as five of them were named in the FIFPro Men's World XI for 2024. Vinicius Jr, on the other hand, bagged The Best FIFA Men's Player for 2024 award.
WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID
After accepting his prize, the 65-year-old said: "A lot of players here [I coached]! I'm really honoured to receive this award. I'd like to thank FIFA and president Gianni Infantino. I want to share this with my club Real Madrid and president Florentino Perez to give me the opportunity to be the manager of the best club in the world. I have to share with my players that they sometimes listen to me!
"I have to pay thanks to my family – my wife Mariann who supports me with peace and love which is important for my job. I started in 1976, 48 years in football. Football has given me a lot of emotions, sometimes positive but sometimes negative. But emotion is the only reason that after 48 years I'm still alive!"
AFPWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
The reigning Spanish champions will be next seen in action on Wednesday as they take on Liga MX side Pachuca in the final of the inaugural Intercontinental Cup in Qatar.
