The nominees for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year have been revealed. This award honors male coaches for their impressive work in football during the 2025/26 season.
The list was shared on the award body's X account on Tuesday.
The five nominees in this category are Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain), Luis de la Fuente (Spain National Team), Unai Emery (Aston Villa), and Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich).
The announcement highlights that the shortlist includes four Spaniards and one Belgian, Kompany.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
Arteta had a great season with Arsenal last year.
The Gunners won the English Premier League, ending a wait of 22 years for the trophy.
The 44-year-old Spaniard has been in charge of Arsenal since 2019. He has led the club to four Emirates Cups, one FA Cup, and three Community Shields.
Recently, Arteta reached a significant milestone, celebrating his 250th EPL game as a coach.
Luis Enrique, PSG
For Enrique, this nomination is a chance to win the award again, having taken it home in the 2024/25 season.
The former Barcelona manager, who won La Liga and the Champions League with Barcelona, has also found success in France. He led PSG to two straight Champions League titles in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.
With PSG, Enrique has three domestic league titles, one FIFA Intercontinental Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two Coupe de France titles, and three Trophée des Champions.
Luis de la Fuente, Spain
De la Fuente, 65, recently made history as the oldest manager to win the FIFA World Cup. He achieved this by leading La Roja to victory, as noted by FIFA.
He became the manager of the Spain National Team in 2024 and has taken them to three major trophies: UEFA Euro (2024), UEFA Nations League title (2023), and FIFA World Cup (2026).
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Emery, 54, took Aston Villa to the Europa League last season.
He is the fourth Spaniard on the nominee list and has managed 200 matches at Villa, achieving a 55% win rate.
Emery is well-known for winning three consecutive Europa League titles with Sevilla, before winning his fourth at Villa Park.
Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich
Kompany, a former EPL champion and ex-captain of the Belgium National Team, became the Bayern Munich coach in 2024.
The Belgian has claimed five trophies with Bayern, including two Bundesliga titles, two German Super Cups, and one DFB Pokal.
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