Spanish Coaches Dominate 2026 Ballon d'Or Nominees
The 2026 Ballon d'Or Men's Coach of the Year shortlist features a strong Spanish presence, with four of the five nominees hailing from Spain. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente, Aston Villa's Unai Emery, and Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique are recognized for their achievements during the 2025/26 season and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The only non-Spanish nominee is Bayern Munich's Vincent Kompany. Arteta's nomination follows Arsenal's first Premier League title in 22 years, finishing the season with 85 points, seven points ahead of Manchester City, and reaching the Champions League final, where they lost to PSG on penalties.
De la Fuente's notable achievement includes leading Spain to victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final, making him the oldest coach to win the tournament. Emery's nomination reflects Aston Villa's Europa League title and a fourth-place Premier League finish, while Kompany's inclusion adds diversity to the shortlist.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from The Will. Read the original report below.
Read full article
Continue on The Will
Enjoy this article?
Get the weekly Nigerian roundup — top stories, NPFL, naira. One email, Sunday morning.
Related Stories
Get Plus234Feed on messaging apps
Same headlines, delivered where you already scroll.
