Arteta, Enrique and Others Nominated for 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach Award

Mikel Arteta, Luis Enrique, Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery and Vincent Kompany have been shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach of the Year award.

The award body announced the nominees on its X account on Tuesday. Four of the five candidates are Spanish, with Kompany the only Belgian on the list.

Arteta enjoyed a standout season with Arsenal, leading the club to the English Premier League title and ending its 22-year wait for the trophy. Since taking charge in 2019, the 44-year-old has also guided Arsenal to four Emirates Cups, one FA Cup and three Community Shields. He recently marked his 250th Premier League match as a coach.

The nomination gives Enrique another chance to win the award after he claimed it for the 2024/25 season. The former Barcelona coach, who won La Liga and the Champions League in Spain, has matched that achievement in France. He led PSG to consecutive Champions League titles in 2024/25 and 2025/26. His honors with the Paris club also include three domestic league titles, one FIFA Intercontinental Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two Coupe de France titles and three Trophée des Champions.

De la Fuente, 65, recently became the oldest manager to win the FIFA World Cup after leading Spain to the title, according to FIFA. Since taking charge of the national team in 2024, he has also overseen victories at UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2023 UEFA Nations League. Emery led Aston Villa to the Europa League last season and has managed 200 matches at the club, with a 55% win rate. He previously won three consecutive Europa League titles with Sevilla before adding a fourth at Villa Park. Kompany, who became Bayern Munich coach in 2024, has won five trophies with the club, including two Bundesliga titles, two German Super Cups and one DFB Pokal.