Marcelo
Real Madrid’s Brazilian left-back has been playing under Ancelotti since mid-2013.
“This year he’s won the Copa del Rey, the club’s tenth European Cup/Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. He’s done a truly great job in the year and a half he’s been with us. He’s such a good coach, a real winner. He’s proved that throughout his whole career, not just since he’s been at Real Madrid.
“He’s changed us for the better, it’s very clear that he knows just how to motivate us. But he also makes us feel at ease, he talks to us face to face and gives us freedom to play. He gives us responsibility, which is very important to a footballer. And he was a player himself, which is something that comes across in the way he perfectly understands us as players.
“He knows how to pick the right moment to speak to us and that empathy is important, because us footballers can be tricky to deal with. He’s getting the very best out of us, although there’s room for us to improve still further, and that’s the goal we’re working towards.”
Andriy Shevchenko
The former Ukraine striker and winner of the France Football Ballon d’Or in 2004, was coached by Ancelotti at both AC Milan and Chelsea.
“Whenever I talk about Carlo I can’t help but smile, because he’s a fantastic coach and person. I’ve got great memories of the time I spent working with him and we’re still very good friends. I was really pleased for him when he won the Champions League with Real Madrid. The start to the season hadn’t been easy for him or the team, but they ended up going on to win it. I enjoyed seeing him so happy. And at the moment the team can’t seem to stop winning.
“I could tell what kind of a coach he was going to be as soon as I joined AC Milan and it’s great to see how he’s got this Real Madrid team playing, how much he understands the game and knows his players. What’s clear is the great job Carlo’s done, though he does have great players and has had them in the past too. Carlo is a great coach and he’s a great friend to his players too.”
Alessandro Del Piero
The ex-Italy star played under Ancelotti at Juventus between 1999 and 2001.
“I’ve got a great deal of respect for all three finalists, but I hope that Carlo wins. He’s an extraordinary coach and a great person. He’s won trophies in Italy, in England, in France and now he’s won La Décima with Real Madrid. I don’t know if just one award is enough [for what he’s achieved].”
