Jill Ellis, manager of the USWNT won the FIFA best women’s football coach award for the second time.
Ellis has won the award last after winning the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
After repeating the feat in France 2019, she edged England’s Phil Neville and the Netherlands’ Sarina Wiegman, to scoop the accolade once more.
Congratulations, Jill Ellis 👏
Winner of #TheBest FIFA Women's Coach 2019 🏆#TheBest | #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/FQOQkCvIxp
— #BeachSoccerWC 🏖🇵🇾 (@FIFAcom) September 23, 2019
Ellis is the departing USWNT manager after she announced following the Women’s World Cup triumph she was stepping down from the position.
She guided the U.S. women to a second consecutive Women’s World Cup title, becoming the first manager to win back-to-back world titles.
She announced that she would be stepping down from her post upon the conclusion of the USA’s victory tour, which has two more games against South Korea to go early in October.
She has not said if she’ll be coaching elsewhere upon her departure, though U.S. Soccer said she’ll remain an ambassador for the federation.
Fellow coach an award shortlist candidate was Englands Phil Neville, he said of Ellis:
“When you win a World Cup, I think you should win the top award and I’m glad everyone has voted for her like I did.”
In accepting her award Ellis said:
“What a ride. I want to thank Phil Neville and Sarina Wiegman for making my job hard.”
“The World Cup really was a showcase. I think the world fell in love with our game.”
She went on to thank her team, and colleagues inside US Soccer. But there was a special mention to her “oldest fans and first coach.”
Ellis paid special tribute to her 80-year-old parents, who were in the audience.
Congratulations Jill Ellis, the FIFA Best women’s football coach award.
