Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has been selected as the manager of the year by France Football for 2024, but did not collect his award. The Italian was part of a Real Madrid boycott of the Ballon d’Or.
Ancelotti was key in a Liga and Champions League double for Los Blancos last season, coming up with a key tactical shift in the first half of the season using Jude Bellingham as a goalscorer, and then shifting him to the left in the second half of the year. His substitution, throwing Joselu Mato on in the closing stages, also swung their Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
It was another former Chelsea manager that won the women’s award, with Emma Hayes beating ex-Barcelona coach Jonatan Giraldez. Hayes has since left to take over the USWNT. Meanwhile Real Madrid were also named the Team of the Year, with the likes of Girona and Manchester City in competition, but again, were not present to collect the award.
The Italian coach did publish a message shortly after the award, thanking the Real Madrid players, president, club, family and in particular, Vinicius and Dani Carvajal. The Brazilian came second in the Ballon d’Or ranking, while Carvajal finished fourth, split by Jude Bellingham. Ancelotti beat Xabi Alonso and Pep Guardiola to the award.
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