Sports Personality of the Year 2020: Jurgen Klopp named best coach after Liverpool’s Premier League triumph

German manager led the Reds to their first league title in 30 years last season

(PA)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was named the Coach of the Year at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards on Sunday night.

Last season, Klopp led Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years – their first ever Premier League triumph – and his side are currently atop the standings again this term with 31 points from 14 games, having thrashed Crystal Palace 7-0 away from home on Saturday.

Klopp arrived at Anfield in October 2015 and guided the Reds to the Champions League trophy in 2019 with a 2-0 victory over fellow Premier League side Tottenham in the final.

At the time, that marked the biggest moment of the two-time Bundesliga winner’s career as a coach, but it was arguably eclipsed as his defining triumph last term when the 53-year-old helped the club to win the Premier League for the first time in their history.

READ MORE: Klopp wins Fifa Best award for Coach of the Year

Along the way, Liverpool broke numerous top-flight records, including earliest title win, most victories and biggest lead in a season.

The achievement saw Klopp named Fifa Best Coach of the Year earlier this week – the second year in a row that the German has won the prize.

In another triumphant moment for the Reds, Liverpool won the SPOTY Team of the Year award on Sunday evening, while club captain Jordan Henderson – who was named Premier League Player of the Season in 2019/20 – was nominated for the main SPOTY prize this year.

That award went to Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, however, following a season in which he matched Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles.

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