2026 Ballon d'Or Best Men's Coach Candidates: Arteta, De la Fuente, Emery, Kompany, Enrique

On the evening of September 8 Beijing time, the Ballon d'Or officials successively announced the nomination lists for various awards, with the final ceremony set to take place in London on October 26.

The full list of candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or Best Men's Coach award has now been announced.

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)

Luis de la Fuente (Spain national team)

Unai Emery (Aston Villa)

Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)

Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Arteta

During Arteta's seven years in charge, he has led the team to improve year by year. Last season, the Gunners dominated the Premier League, winning the league title and reaching the finals of the Champions League and the League Cup.

Luis de la Fuente

Luis received a nomination after winning the European Championship in 2024. This summer, he went a step further by leading his team to conquer the world and earning another nomination. Spain conceded only one goal at the World Cup, which was not only because they had outstanding defenders, but also due to the work of a masterful coach.

Unai Emery

Last season, Unai led Aston Villa to a respectable fourth-place finish in the Premier League, then went a step further by winning the Europa League, the club's first major honor in 30 years.

Vincent Kompany

When the Belgian coach took charge of Bayern, no one questioned his coaching ability, but taking over such a giant club was undoubtedly still a major test of his managerial career. He delivered an almost perfect answer.

Bayern's football remained enjoyable to watch while retaining the successful approach that had been key to the team's victories, and they won the Bundesliga title in the 2025/26 season while also lifting the German Cup.

As a player, he was an elegant defender; now on the touchline, he remains a tactical master with the same grace and intelligence.

Luis Enrique