Morocco’s Walid Regragui ranked world’s third-best national coach

Morocco coach Walid Regragui has been ranked the world’s third-best national coach by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics [IFFHS]. 

Regragui finds himself in third place on the ranking sovereign with 30 points.

This comes after Regragui led the North African country, Morocco to the semifinal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.

WALID REGRAGUI, FIRST AFRICAN COACH TO REACH WORLD CUP SEMIS 

Morocco made history when they became the first African country to reach the semis of the prestigious tournament. 

The side also finished as Group F winners, ahead of the 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia, Belgium and Spain.

The 47-year-old and troops landed in Qatar as the underdogs in their group, but took the world by surprise. 

Regragui, who took over the coaching reigns from the sacked Vahid Halilhodzic, achieved this feat just a few months after being the national team ahead of the World Cup.

WALID REGRAGUI THE HISTORY MAKER 

“It is the first time in history that an African coach took place on the world podium!,” read the IFFHS statement. 

His experience also speaks for itself as he had also guided Wydad Casablanca to the CAF Champions League triumph and Moroccan Championship.

To put a cherry on top, the Atlas Lions coach is nominated for a Best FIFA Football Award [coach category]. The awards are set to take place on Friday, 2023.

Lionel Scaloni of Argentina was awarded the best national team coach with 240 points, after guiding his side to the 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph at the expense of the defending champions France.

Scaloni succeeds Italian national team the coach, Roberto Mancini.

He also won the Copa America in 2021 with the Argentine side. 

Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps who finished second place with 45 points, having finished as runner-up at the World Cup. 

RELATED STORY: Walid Regragui outlines Morocco’s major goal post-World Cup