Daily Times

MADRID: France coach Didier Deschamps and former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane head the shortlist for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach award, world soccer’s governing body announced on Tuesday. Deschamps’s France lifted the World Cup in Russia, and his 1998 world title winning team mate Zidane helped Real Madrid claim a third consecutive Champions League. England’s Gareth Southgate was also named on the shortlist after guiding the national team to a first World Cup semi-final in 28 years. Four women and six men are part of the 10-candidate list for the women’s coach of the year award. The nominations include Asako Takakura, who guided Japan to the Women’s Asian Cup title and Reynald Pedros, whose Olympique Lyonnais won a third consecutive Champions League and the French league title. The three finalists for each award will be revealed at a later date, with the winners to be announced in a ceremony in London on Sept. 24.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.