Former England captain David Beckham considers Carlo Ancelotti "one of the best he's played under" and insisted the veteran head coach will have no trouble bouncing back from his Bayern Munich sacking.
Ancelotti was dismissed on Thursday after just over a year in charge of the German champions following their 3-0 Champions League defeat by PSG.
However Beckham, who played under the Italian at the Parisian club as well as at AC Milan, developed a close bond with the 58-year-old when they worked together, with the former England international having no doubt his former boss will be back on his feet soon and gave him a glowing tribute saying he was top of the list when it came to his former bosses.
According to the Dailymail, Beckham said: "I love Carlo – Carlo is the best for me. He is one of the most incredible managers and people, one of the most successful managers in football, so he will be okay."
Ancelotti has been one of the most successful managers in Europe in recent years but endured a difficult start to the 2017-18 campaign at Bayern.
The PSG loss followed poor Bundesliga results against Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg, as well as reports of dressing room unrest and injuries to key players such as Manuel Neuer.
However, he remains well thought of in football, and by Beckham, who established a good relationship with the 58-year-old first in Italy and then in France.
Beckham was speaking in Milan at an event for sponsors Adidas and was keen to give his backing to the ex-Chelsea manager and was delighted to return to the city where he played across two spells in 2009 and 2010.
Asked for his memories of playing in red and black, Beckham said: "Obviously playing for one of the best teams in the world and just the people.
"The people in Milan and even everywhere I travelled with the team, everywhere in Italy, was incredible. The fans – unbelievable. It's just nice to be back because I spent much time here since I left so it's nice to be back and to feel part of the team again."
Ancelotti is now being linked with several jobs around Europe, including West Ham United, where Slaven Bilic is under pressure.