Wiegman and Bonmati honored
Guardiola is named world coach after a sensational year
January 15, 2024, 9:07 p.m
Pep Guardiola collects another award after his super year with Manchester City. The Spaniard will be named World Coach of the Year 2023. His club wins massively in the election anyway. The best coach will be the World Cup finalist who is in the mood for jokes.
The Spaniard Pep Guardiola has been named World Coach of the Year for the second time after a sensational year. The 52-year-old, who won the treble with Manchester City in 2023, prevailed in the vote by the world football association FIFA against the Italians Simone Inzaghi (47/Inter Milan) and Luciano Spalletti 64/SSC Naples/Italy). The Dutchwoman Sarina Wiegman (54), who led the English national team to the World Cup final in the summer, was honored as the best coach.
Guardiola won the election of captains, coaches, fans and journalists for the first time in 2011, when he was still coach of FC Barcelona. “Thank you very much,” said the former FC Bayern coach on stage at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. “I want to share this trophy with Simone and Luciano. I want to share this trophy with Manchester.” At the end of his speech, the former professional also thanked his family, who accompanied him to the English metropolis.
Wiegman had already won the FIFA election in 2017, 2020 and 2022. “Some of you are probably thinking: ‘Here she is again’. I’m sorry,” said the cheerful Dutchwoman. She prevailed in the election against the Spaniard Jonatan Giraldez (32/FC Barcelona) and the Englishwoman Emma Hayes (47/FC Chelsea).
“The biggest year of my career so far”
World champion Aitana Bonmati from FC Barcelona has meanwhile won the election as world footballer and will succeed her Spanish compatriot and teammate Alexia Putellas. Bonmati prevailed against Jennifer Hermoso (CF Pachuca) and Colombia’s young star Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid). “This has been the biggest year of my career so far. I am very proud of what I have achieved with my teams,” said Bonmati – and especially thanked her teammates. “Without you I wouldn’t be here.”
The 25-year-old won the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with Spain and also won the Champions League with the Catalans. Bonmati was most recently awarded the Ballon d’Or in October 2023. Putellas – also from Barcelona – recently became world footballer twice in a row. The final selection took place without German participation. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger from Chelsea FC at least made it into the extended selection, DFB captain Alexandra Popp (VfL Wolfsburg) missed the hoped-for jump into the World XI.