Luis de la Fuente named world’s best coach at Ballon d’Or ceremony

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has been named the world’s best coach at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London.

De la Fuente won the award ahead of four other prominent candidates: Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Unai Emery of Aston Villa and Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich.

His success at the 2026 World Cup was the main factor behind the decision. De la Fuente guided Spain to the title after a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final on 19 July.

Spain completed the tournament unbeaten and conceded only one goal throughout their campaign. Their record underlined the team’s ability to combine defensive strength with the effectiveness required to settle major matches.