2021 Best FIFA Football Awards: Thomas Tuchel, Emma Hayes named best men’s, women’s coaches

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the Best Men’s Coach in the 2021 FIFA Best Awards, while Chelsea women’s team coach Emma Hayes has bagged the Best Women’s Coach award.

Tuchel was awarded the honour over Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Italy manager Roberto Mancini. While Guardiola won yet another Premier League title with Manchester City, and Roberto Mancini led the Azzurri to their first Euro title since 1968, Tuchel took the Blues to their first Champions League victory since the 2012.

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Tuchel-led Chelsea’s Champions League victory was perhaps the most astounding, given that the German came in mid-season in January 2021 to replace struggling Chelsea legend Frank Lampard at the helm, and managed to transform a Chelsea side that was leaking goals.

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Tuchel managed 19 games at Chelsea in the 2021/22 season, winning 11 games, drawing 5, and losing just three. Tuchel’s half season at Chelsea in the 2020/21 season saw him average an impressive 2 points per game.

Emma Hayes, meanwhile, took Chelsea’s women’s team to victories in the Women’s Super League and Continental Cup. She also led the Blues to the Women’s Champions League final in 2021, but lost 4-0 to a dominant Barcelona.

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Hayes-led Chelsea scored an impressive 69 goals in the 2020/21 Women’s Super League season, conceding just 10 goals over 22 games. Hayes led Chelsea to 18 victories, securing 57 points out of a possible 66, wrapping up a tremendous season. Following her tremendous season with Chelsea, the 45-year-old coach signed a long term contract with the Blues in July 2021.