Spain's Luis de la Fuente Wins Men's Coach of the Year

Luis de la Fuente, the manager of the Spain national team, was honored as Men's Coach of the Year at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony held at the London Palladium in England. This recognition follows his successful leadership during Spain's triumph at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The announcement occurred on a Monday during the ceremony, where de la Fuente competed against notable managers including Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich, and Unai Emery of Aston Villa. The award was presented by former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, although the announcement faced a brief disruption due to a mix-up with the winner's name on the card.

After the confusion was resolved, Benitez declared de la Fuente the winner. Following the announcement, de la Fuente exchanged handshakes with Unai Emery and Spain international Lamine Yamal before receiving the award on stage.

This accolade further solidifies de la Fuente's achievements with the national team.