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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Theo Squires

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola snubbed as Zinedine Zidane named world's best manager

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have both been snubbed after Zinedine Zidane was named the best manager in the world by L'Equipe.

The Liverpool boss ended the Reds' 30-year wait to be crowned champions of England, having also lifted the Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and European Super Cup in the past year.

While Guardiola has enjoyed vast success with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Man City.

But that wasn't enough for L'Equipe with the French newspaper citing Klopp' s record of winning just one of his three Champions League finals compared to Zidane's continental record as reason to opt for Real Madrid and France legend after he guided the Spanish giants to the La Liga title this season.

Klopp and Guardiola were ranked second and third respectively by the French newspaper.

They noted the German's success and 'charisma' in bringing Liverpool their first league title in 30 years, describing him as the 'fashionable man' and 'favourite of many'.

Meanwhile, of Zidane and Guardiola, who face off in the Champions League round-of-16 this month, they wrote: "He (Zidane) is a coach who has experienced only one club, and quite rarely defeat.

"A coach who did what none of his predecessors did, win three Champions Leagues in a row (2016, 2017, 2018).

"Who was able to return to the footsteps of his own glory and question everything to become a new Spanish champions with Real Madrid last month.

"Guardiola has something else, his dogma, his permanent research, the virtuosity of his collective game, dizzying constructions, his consistency (198 points in two seasons from 2017 to 2019).

"[B]ut he does not have everything, and chooses his central defenders as his attackers or midfielders."

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