Luis de la Fuente has been named Men’s Coach of the Year at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony held in London on Monday, following his success in leading Spain to FIFA World Cup glory.
“Teamwork makes us invincible. This is a great honour,” de la Fuente said after receiving the award.
“The secret is to work with very generous players who put the team first. We’ve got such an amazing pool of talent, the best in the world, so as a coach I have a great amount of talent to work with. This is their success,” he added.
The 65-year-old has built his reputation through Spain’s national-team coaching system rather than a high-profile playing career. After an unremarkable spell in club management, he applied for a youth coaching position advertised by the Spanish Football Federation in 2013.
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He was appointed coach of Spain’s Under-19 team, beginning a journey that would eventually lead him to the senior national side. Some of the players he worked with at youth level later featured in teams that won the UEFA Nations League, Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup under his leadership.
De la Fuente maintained throughout the World Cup in the United States that Spain had the strongest squad in the tournament, even after they opened their campaign with a goalless draw against debutants Cape Verde.
Spain grew in confidence as the competition progressed, defeating France 2-0 in the semi-final before overcoming Lionel Messi’s Argentina 1-0 in the final in New Jersey. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal as Spain secured the world title.
“This is recognition for a job very well done over many years,” de la Fuente told AFP.
He also credited Spain’s wider football development system for the national team’s success.
“I believe Spanish football, both in terms of coaching and the game itself, serves as an example of excellent youth development, which ultimately paves the way for future success,” he said.
Barcelona coach Pere Romeu won the Women’s Coach of the Year award after guiding the club to a trophy-laden season, including victories in the Spanish league, Copa de la Reina, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
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