Diego Simeone deserved to win FIFA Coach of the Year over Joachim Loew
At the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or, Joachim Loew took home the prize for Men's World Coach of the Year, and one would have a difficult time arguing against the man who led his nation to victory at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Specifically, the 7-1 defeat over host nation Brazil in the semifinals served as the lasting memory of Germany's run to the highest crown in the international game.
Loew prospered on the grandest stage, and his accomplishment cannot be disputed as worthy of world football's top coaching honor. However, the two managers who finished as runners-up in the voting deserve shouts and appreciation.
In his first season with Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti led Los Blancos to their record 10th Champions League title, or “La Decima.” Ancelotti took over the Spanish giants after revered manager Jose Mourinho failed to achieve the highest prize in club football in three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu. After a 12-year drought, Ancelotti brought the elusive European crown back to a club desperate to return to the top of club football.
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Ancelotti did not only deserve praise for how he finished the 2013-14 campaign, but he also led his team to a 22-match winning streak to end 2014, which culminated with a Club World Cup title. The Italian tactician also claimed the Spanish Cup after beating rival Barcelona 2-1 in the Copa del Rey final. The only argument against Ancelotti would be his failure to capture the Spanish League.
While Loew and Ancelotti lived up to expectations, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone beat the odds. In a league dominated by Barcelona and Real Madrid, who had combined to win the last nine La Liga titles, Simeone sent a shock to the system by topping the two Spanish giants in the domestic league.
Unlike Real Madrid and Barcelona – which feature superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Neymar and Lionel Messi – Atletico Madrid won the Spanish title without a bonafide superstar on the roster. Simeone served as the face of the team that went to the Camp Nou on the final matchday and earned a necessary 1-1 result against Barcelona. If Atletico Madrid loses that match, Barcelona wins the league.
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That's not all Simeone accomplished with Atletico Madrid in 2013-14. He also led his team on an improbable run to the Champions League final against city rival Real Madrid. Despite being a strong underdog in Lisbon, Atletico Madrid led Real Madrid 1-0 after 90 minutes until Sergio Ramos' miraculous header in the 93rd minute ruined Atletico's storybook ending. But no one could have envisioned Simeone's bunch reaching that point when the season started.
Beating the odds in both Spain and in Europe makes one wonder how Simeone finished third in the voting for Coach of the Year. Add that the star of the 2013-14 Atletico Madrid squad, striker Diego Costa, lasted 16 minutes in the domestic league finale at the Camp Nou and only nine minutes in the Champions League final, and the manager deserves even more credit for the performance his team produced.
When debating the best of the three finalists, one cannot go wrong when choosing between Ancelotti, Loew and Simeone. However, of the three, only Simeone truly exceeded expectations and shocked the world with his achievements. Ancelotti and Loew, through no fault of their own, benefited from incredibly strong squads that stood well above the competition.
For overachieving with an inferior squad, Simeone wins the argument for Coach of the Year even if he does not have the trophy to go along with it.
Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. He has previously written about the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup and regularly provides opinions on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA
