L’Equipe name surprise choice as best coach at 2022 FIFA World Cup ahead of Morocco’s Walid Regragui and Lionel Scaloni
Morocco's Walid Regragui's achievements in the 2022 FIFA World Cup were nothing short of phenomenal, while Argentina's Lionel Scaloni won the tournament. Most people choose one of the two while picking the best coach in the Qatar showpiece.
French paper L'Equipe, though, have made a surprise choice as their pick of best coach. They selected Australia's Graham Arnold as the best coach of the recently concluded 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Socceroos were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 2-1 loss to eventual champions Argentina.
Is Australia a chance to lose the world's best coach?
Graham Arnold has reacted after being rated the best manager at the #FIFAWorldCup.
Have your say here: bit.ly/3Wur0bx https://t.co/HlvYywA2JA
Japan's Hajime Moriyasu was named the second-best coach of the World Cup by the French outlet. The Asian giants were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a penalty shootout loss to Croatia.
Regragui and Scaloni were listed as joint third. Regragui led the Atlas Lions to a historic fourth-place finish in Qatar, the best finish by an African team at the World Cup. Scaloni, meanwhile, guided La Albiceleste to World Cup glory, ending their 36-year-long title drought.
"I want the people of Argentina to enjoy this historic moment" - Scaloni after winning 2022 FIFA World Cup
Argentina registered a penalty shootout win against France in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in one of the best World Cup games in recent memory.
After La Albiceleste took an early 2-0 lead, courtesy strikes from Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe led Les Bleus back into the contest with a brace in the last ten minutes. Messi restored La Albiceleste's lead in the second period of extra time before Mbappe's late penalty made it 3-3 as the Frenchman completed a hat-trick.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez then pulled off a brilliant reflex save of Randal Kolo Muani to keep out a near certain France winner as the game went to penalties.
After both Mbappe and Messi scored in the shootout, Lionel Scaloni's team earned a 4-2 shootout win to win a pulsating contest. The Argentine coach reacted to the extraordinary game, saying (via Mid Day):
“I cannot believe we have suffered so much in a perfect match. It’s unbelievable the way this team respond to everything. I’m proud of this hardworking and most exciting group. I want the people of Argentina to enjoy this historic moment.”
After a triumphant 2021 Copa America campaign, Scaloni has led La Albiceleste to World Cup glory. Since taking charge in 2018, he has led his country 57 times, winning 40 of those games, losing five, and drawing 12.
Lionel Scaloni was only supposed to be interim manager for two games when he first got the Argentina job 😅 https://t.co/nnkrERudr4
The 44-year-old is the youngest World Cup-winning manager in 44 years.