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Four of the five nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach of the Year award are Spanish.
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Mikel Arteta, Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery and Luis Enrique make up the Spanish contingent.
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Vincent Kompany is the only non-Spanish coach on the shortlist.
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Arteta won the Premier League with Arsenal, while De la Fuente led Spain to World Cup glory and Enrique guided PSG to another Champions League triumph.
September 08, (THEWILL) — Spanish coaches have dominated the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach of the Year shortlist, with four of the five nominees coming from Spain.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, Spain boss, Luis de la Fuente, Aston Villa coach, Unai Emery, and Paris Saint-Germain manager, Luis Enrique, have all been recognised for outstanding achievements during the 2025/26 campaign and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The only coach breaking the Spanish monopoly is Bayern Munich boss, Vincent Kompany, setting up an intriguing five-way contest ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26.
Nominated for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year ⬇️
Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
Luis de la Fuente – Spain national team
Unai Emery – Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich
Luis Enrique – Paris-SG pic.twitter.com/R6QOpW9j9l— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
Arteta’s Premier League Triumph Strengthens His Case
Arteta enters the shortlist after finally delivering the Premier League title to Arsenal.
The Gunners ended a 22-year wait for the championship, finishing the 2025/26 campaign with 85 points and seven points clear of Manchester City. It was Arsenal’s first Premier League title since the 2003/04 season.
Arteta’s campaign went even further in Europe as Arsenal reached the Champions League final.
They eventually lost to Enrique’s PSG on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Budapest, but the run to the final added another major achievement to Arteta’s case.
For the Arsenal boss, the nomination represents recognition for a season in which he finally turned years of title challenges into silverware.
De la Fuente Arrives as a World Cup Winner
If domestic and European success strengthen Arteta’s case, De la Fuente has perhaps the biggest international achievement on the shortlist.
The Spain coach guided his team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final in New York/New Jersey.
The triumph secured Spain’s second men’s World Cup and made De la Fuente the oldest coach to win the tournament.
That achievement makes the Spain boss one of the leading contenders for the award, particularly with the Ballon d’Or’s coaching criteria placing significant weight on titles, leadership, tactical ability and performances beyond reasonable expectations.
Emery’s European Success Earns Recognition
Unai Emery completes the Spanish quartet after another impressive campaign with Aston Villa.
The experienced coach guided Villa to the Europa League title and a fourth-place Premier League finish, securing Champions League football in the process.
His nomination reflects the continued transformation of Villa under Emery, who has established the club as a regular presence in European competition.
It also means three Spanish club managers — Arteta, Emery and Enrique — are competing against their compatriot De la Fuente for the same individual honour.
Kompany Stands Alone
Vincent Kompany is the outsider in a shortlist otherwise dominated by Spanish coaches.
The Bayern Munich manager’s inclusion gives the contest a different dimension, with the former Manchester City captain continuing his rise from elite defender to one of Europe’s leading young coaches.
Kompany’s nomination means Spain has four representatives, while Belgium has one, an extraordinary imbalance for an award designed to recognise the best coach in men’s football.
Luis Enrique Chases Back-to-Back Awards
Enrique has perhaps the most compelling storyline of all.
The PSG manager is attempting to retain the award after another remarkable European campaign with the French club.
PSG successfully defended their Champions League crown, beating Arsenal on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the final. The victory made Enrique the manager of consecutive Champions League-winning teams with the Paris club.
The Spaniard, therefore, has an opportunity to become the first coach to win the Ballon d’Or Coach of the Year award in consecutive editions.
His challenge is particularly interesting because the man he defeated in the Champions League final, Arteta, is now one of his biggest rivals for the individual prize.
Four Spaniards, One Award
The final shortlist presents five very different cases.
Arteta has the Premier League title and a Champions League final appearance. De la Fuente has the biggest prize in international football. Emery delivered European silverware and Champions League qualification, while Enrique has consecutive Champions League triumphs behind him.
Kompany, meanwhile, represents the only non-Spanish challenge in a shortlist that underlines Spain’s growing influence on elite coaching.
The winner will be announced at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26, with the award decided by an international jury of specialist football journalists.
2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach of the Year Nominees
- Mikel Arteta — Arsenal
- Luis de la Fuente — Spain
- Unai Emery — Aston Villa
- Vincent Kompany — Bayern Munich
- Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
