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The Best FIFA Football Award is an annual award presented by the game's governing body FIFA for both male and female players, and coaches. Introduced only in 2017, it's a fairly recent award.
One of the award categories - Best FIFA men's coach - has been won by four different men. Claudio Ranieri was the award's inaugural recipient after leading Leicester City to an improbable Premier League triumph in 2016. Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and most recently Jurgen Klopp (twice) have won the prestigious accolade.
Klopp won't be able to do a three-peat, as he's not among the nominees for this year's Best FIFA men's coach award. However, this year's contenders consist of multiple league and international continental competition winners.
On that note, here's a look at the top five contenders for this year's Best FIFA men's coach award. Antonio Conte, who ended Inter Milan's decade-long Serie A drought last season and Atletico Madrid's two-time La Liga-winning manager Diego Simeone narrowly miss out.
So without further ado, let's get started:
#5 Hansi Flick (Germany/former Bayern Munich manager)
Hansi Flick is one of the best managers in the game at the moment. He had a stellar two-year spell in charge of Bayern Munich.
Having led the Bavarian giants to their second continental treble in 2019-20, he signed off with another Bundesliga title last season. He is now in charge of the German national team, taking over from the long-serving Joachim Low.
Flick has made a seamless transition from club-football management to the international game. Assuming the reins of the team after Euro 2020, Low's Germany won six consecutive games under their new manager. In the process, they became one of the first teams to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Although these are early days into life in international management, Flick has made a blistering start, like he did at Bayern two years ago. It remains to be seen if his exploits would be enough to land him the Best FIFA men's coach award this year.
#4 Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
Lionel Scaloni is one of the most underrated managers in the game at the moment. Nevertheless, the 43-year-old has done a fabulous job in charge of Argentina, who have flattered to deceive at major tournaments.
Scaloni's Argentina are no longer Lionel Messi and ten other players, unlike the case with previous Albiceleste managers.
After assuming permanent reins of the team following the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Scaloni has transformed Argentina's fortunes. The Albiceleste, led from the front by Messi, are one of the most formidable teams in the game, with quality in every position.
The Best FIFA men's coach 2021 contender ended Argentina's near three-decade-long trophy drought at Copa America 2021.
Scaloni's men recently qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2022, and haven't lost a competitive game in over two years. Considering the transformation he has brought about in the team's fortunes, Scaloni would be a deserving winner of the Best FIFA men's coach award this year.
#3 Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
The Best FIFA men's coach award is conspicuous by its absence in Pep Guardiola's glittering trophy cabinet.
Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the finest managers in the game's history. He has won at least three league titles in three different top-five leagues in Europe. These include La Liga with Barcelona, Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and Premier League with Manchester City.
He has done a fabulous job at Manchester City since his arrival at the club five years ago.
After Liverpool denied them a Premier League three-peat in 2019-20, Guardiola's men, last season, promptly won the competition for the third time in four years. He took City to their first Champions League final last season, but they fell in the title match against Chelsea.
After 12 games into the league season, Guardiola's men are firmly in the title race, trailing league leaders Chelsea by three points. The Best FIFA men's coach 2021 nominee's team is on the cusp of qualifying for Round of 16 in the Champions League.
However, Guardiola's failure to conquer Europe could jeopardize his chances of ending his Best FIFA men's coach award duck this year.
#2 Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea)
Thomas Tuchel has been like a breath of fresh air since his arrival at Chelsea earlier this year.
The former Borussia Dortmund and PSG manager has completely transformed The Blues' fortunes across competitions. Despite assuming the team's reins midseason, the 48-year-old took Chelsea all the way in the Champions League. The Blues slightly underwhelmed in the Premier League, only finishing fourth.
However, Tuchel's men are atop the Premier League pile this season, three points ahead of holders Manchester City. Like few else, he has epitomized the adage that 'attack is the best defense'. Tuchel has transformed the Blues into a refreshingly attacking team, while keeping things tight at the back.
Considering his impressive exploits, it's difficult to believe Tuchel has not yet completed a year at the Stamford Bridge helm. It remains to be seen if the German can beat out two continental international competition winners to land this year's Best FIFA men's coach award.
#1 Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Roberto Mancini is arguably one of the finest tacticians in the game at the moment. The former Serie A and Premier League winner can now call himself a European Championship winner too.
Mancini's Italy had a perfect Euro 2020 qualifying campaign to announce their title credentials. The tournament's dark horses then proceeded to go all the way. They beat Spain and England in penalty shootouts in the semi-finals and final, respectively. In the process, the Azzurri ended their over-five-decade-long wait for a European Championship title.
Italy then created a new record for the longest unbeaten streak in international football of 37 matches. Despite producing an unbeaten qualifying campaign, the Azzurri failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022 as group winners.
Nevertheless, Italy are widely tipped to reach the quadrennial competition through the playoffs. Despite a less-than-perfect qualifying campaign, Mancini might have done enough to win this year's Best FIFA men's coach award.
