Luis de la Fuente Named Best Coach Worldwide for 2026

Luis de la Fuente, head coach of the Spanish national team, received the Johan Cruyff Award for Best Coach in the World for 2026 during the Ballon d'Or ceremony held in London on Monday evening, in recognition of his achievements with the national team. De la Fuente competed for the award against several top global coaches including Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Unai Emery of Aston Villa, Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, and Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich. Coach Rafa Benitez presented the award to de la Fuente amid a celebratory atmosphere at the ceremony. This honor follows the successes achieved by de la Fuente in leading the Spanish team to win the World Cup after defeating Argentina in the final match.