Walid Regragui, the accomplished head coach of the Moroccan national football team, has been honoured with the prestigious title of CAF's Best Coach of the Year in the men's category.
The recognition comes in the wake of Morocco's historic journey to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar under Regragui's astute leadership.
The 48-year-old tactician claimed the coveted individual coaching prize at the CAF Awards ceremony held in Marrakech on Monday, marking the culmination of a remarkable year in 2022.
Regragui faced stiff competition for the coaching award, contending with seasoned coaches Aliou Cisse from Senegal and Abdelhak Benchika from Algeria.
Aliou Cisse, who led Senegal to AFCON glory in February and a commendable last-16 World Cup run, was aiming to retain his coaching crown.
However, Regragui's transformative impact on Morocco's talented team resonated with coaches and media alike, securing him the top spot in the polls.
Taking the reins of the Atlas Lions just three months before the World Cup, Regragui orchestrated a footballing revolution, becoming the first African coach to guide his team to the semi-finals.
Morocco's campaign, marked by impressive victories over Belgium and Spain, captured the imagination of football enthusiasts globally.
Regragui's stellar coaching journey in 2022 began when he was appointed by the Morocco Football Federation in August, shortly after clinching the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title with Wydad Casablanca.