The three finalists for the 2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men's Football have been announced. The following coaches have made the final three-name shortlist.

• Carlo Ancelotti showed what he is made of by sliding into the hotseat at Real Madrid and winning the Copa del Rey and the club's eagerly awaited tenth UEFA Champions League title. These successes were made all the sweeter by the fact they were secured with respective victories over old rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The Italian coach exceeded expectations in his first season with Los Blancos, restoring a sense of calm to the club and turning his side into a relentless winning machine spearheaded by a lethal and insatiable frontline. Ancelotti picked up this season where he left off last by landing the UEFA Super Cup, yet another piece of silverware for the Bernabeu trophy cabinet.

• “One game at a time” became Diego Simeone’s mantra last season, one in which his brand of dedication, perspiration and complete commitment allowed Atletico Madrid to win the Spanish La Liga and break a nine-year stranglehold by Real Madrid and Barcelona. A master when it comes to set-piece strategies and man management, the Argentinian also took his side to the brink of European glory. Appearing in only the second European Cup/UEFA Champions League final in their history, they came within seconds of lifting the famous trophy only to succumb to a last-gasp rally by cross-town rivals Real. A small measure of revenge would later come for Simeone and his men in the Spanish Super Cup.

• After a long and arduous journey, Joachim Low has finally reached the summit of world football after leading Germany to a deserved triumph at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. It marked the highlight of his eight and half year reign as Germany coach so far, coming four years after his side finished in third place at the tournament in South Africa thanks to their technically demanding attacking game. A meticulous worker and astute tactician, Low impressively moulded his team to perform as a single unit in Brazil, with the side harmonising almost perfectly both in defence and attack. “I was absolutely convinced that we would be able to take the last step, which we did in 2014,” the 54-year-old Black Forest native said. “The time was right and the team were ready.”