In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments with Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti was named Men’s Coach of the Year at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. After leading Los Blancos to Champions League and La Liga wins the previous season, the Italian manager demonstrated his leadership and tactical prowess and won the Johan Cruyff Trophy.
There was intense competition for the award, with Pep Guardiola, who guided Manchester City to a treble, Xabi Alonso, who won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal with Bayer Leverkusen, Luis de la Fuente, the coach of Spain that won Euro 2024, Lionel Scaloni of Argentina, and Gian Piero Gasperini, who won the Europa League, among the nominees. Nonetheless, Ancelotti won the highest coaching honor for his historic Real Madrid season.
The honor confirms Ancelotti’s status as one of football’s most successful coaches and highlights his lasting influence on the game.
