“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride…” so the expression goes. Jurgen Klopp will have felt, before this year, that he had been a mere guest at other people’s special days – having found himself defeated in the UEFA Champions League final twice (2012-13 and 2017-18) and the UEFA Europa League final (2015-16). This year though, it was Klopp’s turn to rejoice.

Some magnificent European nights for Liverpool, none more impressive than their remarkable come-from-behind 4-3 aggregate semi-final victory against Barcelona, saw the Reds reach the pinnacle of European football by being crowned Champions League winners in June. Their 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid was emblematic of their domestic campaign too, where they lost just once in the Premier League and achieved an incredible 97-point haul, one shy of eventual champions Manchester City. Now, he has another special day to remember – after being named The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2019.