Luis de la Fuente Named 2026 Men's Coach of the Year

De la Fuente takes the top coaching prize

Luis de la Fuente has been named the 2026 men's coach of the year, winning the Johan Cruyff Trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London. The Spain head coach was recognised for leading his country to the pinnacle of the international game during the voting period.

World Cup glory the decisive factor

The defining achievement was guiding Spain to World Cup success, reportedly only the second men's World Cup in the nation's history. As one analysis of the night put it, even Luis Enrique's feat of retaining the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain could not overshadow a World Cup triumph.

A Spanish-dominated shortlist

The nominee list was heavily Spanish, featuring Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Unai Emery of Aston Villa and Luis Enrique of PSG alongside Bayern Munich's Vincent Kompany. With four of the five finalists from Spain, the category mirrored the country's wider dominance across the ceremony.

Building on tournament success

De la Fuente has overseen a golden period for Spanish football, following continental success with the ultimate prize on the world stage. His trust in players such as goalkeeper Unai Simon, himself a Yashin Trophy winner on the night, was repeatedly rewarded.

Part of Spain's clean sweep

The coach's award slotted into a broader Spanish and Barcelona surge that delivered the women's Ballon d'Or to Alexia Putellas, both Kopa Trophies, both goalkeeping awards and the women's coach of the year prize to Barcelona's Pere Romeu.

About the coach of the year award

The men's coach of the year award, the Johan Cruyff Trophy, was first presented in 2024, when Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique was the inaugural winner. Named after the Dutch footballing great, it recognises the standout manager of the season and is a relatively new addition to the Ballon d'Or's expanding set of honours.

The bottom line

Luis de la Fuente's coach of the year award caps a historic era for Spanish football. Delivering a World Cup is the kind of achievement that defines a managerial career, and on this night it was rightly placed above all other contenders.

Related on Skillo

See also: Ballon d'Or 2026 live: Harry Kane wins in London, Ballon d'Or 2026: the full winners list.

Sources

• Ballon d'Or official winners (ballondor.com)
• 2026 Ballon d'Or - Wikipedia (full rankings)
• Ballon d'Or 2026 live updates: Kane, Putellas headline winners (NBC Sports)

Published date reflects the original event date (2026-10-26). This article is original Skillo editorial written from the sources above; facts were verified in September 2026.