England Women head coach Mark Sampson's outstanding campaign has been recognised by FIFA, who have named him on the shortlist for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football award.
The 33-year-old, who this summer led the Lionesses to a World Cup bronze medal, is vying with Jill Ellis [USA national team] and Norio Sasaki [Japan national team], with the winner to be revealed at the FIFA Ballon d’Or award ceremony in Zurich on 11 January 2016.
Factfile
Born: 18 October 1983
Place of birth: Creigau, Wales
Teams managed: Taff's Well, Bristol Academy, England
Titles: Winners, Cyprus Cup (2015); Bronze medal, FIFA Women's World Cup (2015)
After a distinguished spell with FA WSL side Bristol Academy, Sampson took over as England head coach in 2013, and has won 22 of his 32 games in charge.
His side have risen from 11th to fifth in the FIFA World rankings, and an impressive World Cup campaign underlined the Lionesses' growing influence on the global game.
In Canada, Sampson presided over victories over Mexico, Colombia, Norway, the hosts, and while their hopes of reaching the final ended with a semi-final defeat by Japan, they went on to beat Germany in the bronze medal match.
Last week England held Germany to a goalless draw in Duisburg, while on Sunday they defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina at Bristol City's Ashton Gate.
