The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Coach of the Year award have been unveiled, with five high-profile managers recognised for their performances during the 2025/26 football season.
The award organisers announced the shortlist on Tuesday through their official X account, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery and Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany making the final list.
Four of the five nominees are Spanish, while Kompany is the only Belgian coach on the shortlist.
Arteta earned his nomination after leading Arsenal to the English Premier League title last season, ending the club’s 22-year wait for the championship.
The 44-year-old Spaniard took charge of the Gunners in 2019 and has since guided the club to four Emirates Cups, one FA Cup and three Community Shields. He also recently reached the milestone of managing 250 Premier League matches.
Enrique, meanwhile, has another opportunity to claim the award after previously winning it for the 2024/25 season.
The former Barcelona manager has continued his success in France, leading PSG to Ligue 1 and Champions League triumphs. The French champions secured back-to-back Champions League titles under Enrique in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.
During his time in Paris, the Spaniard has also won three domestic league titles, one FIFA Intercontinental Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two Coupe de France trophies and three Trophée des Champions.
De la Fuente was nominated following his remarkable success with Spain. The 65-year-old recently became the oldest manager to win the FIFA World Cup after guiding La Roja to the 2026 title.
Since taking over the Spanish national team in 2024, De la Fuente has overseen major international successes, including the 2024 UEFA European Championship, the 2023 UEFA Nations League and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Emery also made the shortlist after leading Aston Villa to the Europa League title last season.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has managed 200 matches at Villa Park and boasts a 55 per cent win rate. His reputation in the competition was further strengthened by his three consecutive Europa League triumphs with Sevilla before he added another title with Villa.
Kompany completes the shortlist after making his mark at Bayern Munich.
The former Manchester City captain and Belgium international took over as Bayern boss in 2024 and has since guided the German giants to five trophies.
His honours with the Bavarians include two Bundesliga titles, two German Super Cups and one DFB-Pokal.
Nominees, Clubs and Countries
Mikel Arteta (Spain)- Arsenal
Luis Enrique ( Spain) – Paris Saint-Germain
Luis de la Fuente ( Spain) – Spain National Team
Unai Emery (Spain) – Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany (Belgium) – Bayern Munich
