Jurgen Klopp has been named FIFA’s Best Coach for a second year running.
The Liverpool manager beat off competition from Bayern coach Hansi Flick and Leeds United’s Marcelo Bielsa to retain his title in Thursday’s ceremony.
Klopp was first recognised as Best Coach by world football’s governing body in 2019 after guiding the Reds to a sixth Champions League crown in Madrid.
But the German’s accomplishment in delivering Anfield’s maiden Premier League title last season saw him win the award in consecutive years.
Global football fans, journalists, national team coaches and captains all voted on the accolade for achievements between July 2019 and October 2020.
In that time, Klopp also won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup before Liverpool were crowned English champions for a first time since 1990.
The outcome was decided by votes from national team coaches after Flick guiding Bayern to the Champions League glory led to a close race with Klopp.
“At the end of a very successful season – now we’re already in the middle of the next season but it’s for the last season,” said the Liverpool manager.
“That was an exceptional year for us, nobody has to give us anything for that because we won the trophy already, the trophy we all wanted and all the the rest is really like an extra bonus.
“As I said, we take that because it just shows that not only we were quite happy with the things we did, obviously some other people were happy with that as well.
“I have to thank them as well because somebody needed to vote for it and obviously they thought it makes sense to give it to us again. Really nice.”
Alisson Becker, however, failed to claim back-to-back Best Goalkeeper accolades with Bayern’s Manuel Neuer finishing ahead of the Liverpool no.1.
The Brazilian still featured in FIFPro’s World 11, chosen by fellow professionals around the world, alongside four of his current teammates.
Eight Liverpool players were included in a 55-man shortlist for the line-up but only Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Thiago made the cut.