Last season ultimately ended in disappointment for Atlético Madrid after suffering a heartbreaking Champions League final defeat and falling at the final hurdle in the LaLiga title race but despite this Diego Simeone has still been crowned the best club coach of 2016 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
Simeone is currently back in Buenos Aires for the Christmas period and has been given a boost ahead of 2017 after pipping Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane to the award.
The IFFHS award is officially recognised by FIFA but has often been ridiculed in the past for focusing on statistics rather than individual merits. Despite not lifting a trophy with Atleti last season, Simeone’s achievements shouldn’t be discredited.
Despite Zidane leading Real Madrid to the Champions League and Claudio Ranieri masterminding Leicester’s incredible Premier League triumph, Simeone was able to beat both.
Regularly linked to the Argentina national team job and a return to Inter Milan as manager, Simeone has plenty of work to do in Madrid in 2017. Atleti currently lie sixth in LaLiga and although Los Colchoneros have progressed in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, their league form has been a concern.
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