Spain’s pass to the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup is almost certain, despite Sunday’s draw with Germany, but is Luis Enrique the best coach in the world?
This may seem like a rather strange question. However, these were the exact words the Spanish coach used to describe himself. Luis Enrique took the opportunity to advertise his own credentials before the clash with Germany.
However, when you look at his record with both Barcelona and the national team, is he right?
Luis Enrique listens as the best coach in the world
To fully judge Luis Enrique as a manager, you have to look at his career at the club.
He came to Barcelona at a club that was fighting for an identity. The days of Pep Guardiola’s style were gone and the game was changing to favor a more physical approach.
He brought a vertical 4-3-3 to the Camp Nou, taking full advantage of the attacking talents of Luis Suárez and Neymar. They fit in magnificently with Lionel Messi. Luis Enrique’s team won the Champions League in his first year in charge.
Internationally, the former Barcelona midfielder achieved similar transitional success. La Roja was at a low point when he arrived, having failed in tournaments with their golden generation all but broken. The coach made key decisions. Him dropping David de Gea to focus on a more foot-skilled goalkeeper, as well as leading the team to a vertical approach with a target man in Álvaro Morata.
It has also given more opportunities to the young nationals, looking to finish off the aging veterans who play outside of LaLiga.
Tactically, there are few better minds than Luis Enrique. His equipment is attractive to watch. However, they don’t usually come up short against equal opponents.
However, where the Asturian coach has problems is with his human management. He doesn’t appear as much as the Spain coach due to the lack of time he spends with his squad. That being said, at Barcelona, he pissed people off the wrong way.
At the end of his tenure, the Camp Nou was full of tension and the fans were ready for Luis Enrique to go.
Against whom is he fighting?
Right now there are a handful of outstanding coaches in world football. It would be unfair to include club coaches in this comparison, because the job is so different.
Pep Guardiola is the best club manager in the world, although he has incredibly favorable conditions to work in. International coaches are the yardstick when evaluating Spanish.
Tite, Didier Deschamps and Gareth Southgate are the oldest members of the fraternity. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick and Louis van Gaal have a great reputation.
Luis Enrique is not working with as talented a group as Deschamps and Tite have with France and Brazil, respectively. However, he is getting equally impressive performances from his team.
Gareth Southgate reached a World Cup semifinal and a European final, but his football is not as attractive as that of the Spanish coach.
Hansi Flick’s team plays excellent, but the latest results place them well below Luis Enrique.
“How can I doubt myself? I am the best coach on the face of the earth”, explained Luis Enrique at a press conference.
“If I have to convince my players I have to be convinced myself… there is no better coach than me. I know it’s not true, but I believe it.”
Luis Enrique was using his words as a motivational tool for his players. Deciding on the best manager in the world is a subjective matter, but he certainly qualifies to be in the conversation, especially with La Roja still alive in the 2022 World Cup.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
