Leicester City's Claudio Ranieri pips Zinedine Zidane to win FIFA best men`s coach award

Zurich: Claudio Ranieri was named FIFA`s best men`s coach of 2016 on Monday, after leading Leicester City to a fairytale Premier League title triumph.

The Italian beat out France`s Zinedine Zidane, who steered Real Madrid to Champions League glory in his first year as manager and Fernando Santos, the mastermind behind Portugal`s Euro 2016 championship success.

Ranieri, 65, said the honour was "incredible" after receiving the prize from Argentine football legend Diego Maradona.

Under Ranieri`s leadership, Leicester pulled off one of the greatest shocks in English football history by defying title odds of 5,000-1 to lift the Premier League trophy.

Having miraculously avoided relegation the previous season, the Foxes rode that wave of momentum all the way to a title.

Asked about his extraordinary season upon entering the award venue in Zurich, Ranieri said: "The little team won the title. It`s amazing and I am very happy."

FIFA is hosting its inaugural "Best" awards after ending its six-year collaboration with France Football magazine for the Ballon d`Or.