Luis de la Fuente Wins Best Coach at the Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Luis de la Fuente won the award for the best men’s coach in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala held at the London Palladium Theatre on October 26, 2026, as reported by El Tiempo. The Spain national team manager secured the honor following his team’s victory at the 2026 World Cup, where La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 in the July 19 final.

How Luis de la Fuente Claimed the Global Coaching Prize

De la Fuente entered the ceremony after guiding Spain through an undefeated World Cup campaign that yielded only a single conceded goal. Cadena SER noted that the Riojan coach faced stiff competition from three compatriots—Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique, and Unai Emery of Aston Villa—alongside Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany. Despite expressing deep anxiety before the event in comments to DAZN, where he admitted feeling more nervous than he did before the World Cup final, de la Fuente succeeded Luis Enrique as the world’s top manager to extend Spain’s tactical dominance. The selection that made Spain champions of the Nations League, Europe, and the world is now recognized globally as the best coach in world football, outshining rivals like Vincent Kompany who achieved a treble with Bayern Munich, Premier League champion and Champions League finalist Mikel Arteta, two-time Champions League and French league winner Luis Enrique, and UEFA Europa League winner Unai Emery with Aston Villa. Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Federation, emphasized that this milestone highlights the high quality of the Spanish coaching school around the world.

The coaching honor arrives on the heels of long-term stability for the national setup. Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, announced that de la Fuente signed a contract extension keeping him at the helm until 2032. That agreement secures his tenure past the 2030 World Cup, fulfilling an ongoing commitment to the squad’s collective framework and enabling the Riojan coach to keep his word regarding continuing his path of success at the head of the national team.

Ronaldo Nazário Presents Ballon d'Or at London Palladium

The ceremony at the London Palladium was accompanied by a delay of 30 minutes. Former Brazil star Ronaldo Nazário confirmed he would present the Ballon d’Or.

On the red carpet, Colombian Luis Díaz made an appearance where he voiced support for Harry Kane’s candidacy. On the women’s side, Alexia Putellas arrived as a prime contender following a Champions League title and a domestic double with FC Barcelona, having previously won the honor in 2021 and 2022.

Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane Compete for Honors

At 19 years old, Lamine Yamal could have become the youngest winner, potentially surpassing Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário who received the honor in 1997 at age 21, though critics pointed out that Spain’s collective team-oriented style meant Yamal did not shine individually quite as much as in other tournaments. Capitalizing on statistical arguments, 33-year-old Harry Kane arrived holding the European Golden Shoe as the continent’s top scorer in domestic leagues after netting 36 goals in the Bundesliga and 61 across all competitions.

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