Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Atalanta hero Gian Piero Gasperini are among the candidates for the 2024 Ballon d’Or Coach of the Year Trophy.
As well as outfield players, Under-21 stars and goalkeepers, there is also a special piece of silverware for the best tactician of the calendar year.
The winners for all these awards will be announced at the lavish ceremony in Paris on October 28.
There is plenty of Italian representation in the nominees for the Coach of the Year Trophy.
Gasperini and Ancelotti among nominees
Ancelotti was an inevitable presence after he continued to shatter records at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League for the fifth time in his coaching career and taking LaLiga too.
A new entry is Gasperini, who won his first ever piece of silverware in a long career, taking Atalanta to victory in the Europa League.
They did it by becoming the only team to beat Bayer Leverkusen throughout all of last season, so naturally Xabi Alonso gets in the list of nominees.
So does Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who won EURO 2024, Argentina’s Copa America victor Lionel Scaloni and Premier League repeat winner at Manchester City Pep Guardiola.
Somewhat disappointingly, Atalanta do not get into the nominees for Men’s Club of the Year, shut out by Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and Girona FC.