The shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award has been announced, with five high-profile managers recognised for their achievements during the 2025/26 football season.
The nominees, announced by the award organisers on Tuesday via their official X account, are Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, Luis de la Fuente of Spain, Unai Emery of Aston Villa, and Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich.
The shortlist features four Spanish coaches and one Belgian, highlighting the strong influence of Spanish coaching on the international and European football scene.
Mikel Arteta — Arsenal
Mikel Arteta enjoyed a memorable 2025/26 campaign with Arsenal, guiding the North London club to the Premier League title and ending their 22-year wait for the English top-flight trophy.
The 44-year-old Spaniard took charge of Arsenal in December 2019 and has since established himself as one of the leading managers in European football.
During his time at the club, Arteta has won four Emirates Cups, one FA Cup and three Community Shields, while also reaching the milestone of 250 Premier League matches as a manager.
His Premier League triumph could make him a strong contender for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award.
Luis Enrique — Paris Saint-Germain
Luis Enrique is another leading contender after an outstanding spell with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Spanish manager won the 2024/25 Men’s Coach of the Year award and has now been shortlisted again following another successful campaign in France.
Enrique has enjoyed major success at both Barcelona and PSG. After winning the La Liga and Champions League with Barcelona, he replicated that achievement with PSG, leading the French club to back-to-back Champions League titles in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
His PSG honours also include three Ligue 1 titles, two Coupe de France trophies, three Trophée des Champions, one FIFA Intercontinental Cup and two UEFA Super Cups.
Luis de la Fuente — Spain
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has also earned a place on the five-man shortlist after leading La Roja to major international success.
De la Fuente, 65, guided Spain to the 2026 FIFA World Cup title, adding another major trophy to his growing collection.
He has also overseen Spain’s victories at UEFA Euro 2024 and the UEFA Nations League in 2023.
His success with the national team has strengthened his reputation as one of the leading international coaches in world football and puts him firmly in contention for the 2026 award.
Unai Emery — Aston Villa
Unai Emery is the fourth Spaniard on the shortlist.
The experienced manager guided Aston Villa to Europa League glory during the 2025/26 season, adding another European trophy to an already impressive managerial record.
Emery has also reached the 200-match mark with Aston Villa and has maintained a win rate of around 55 per cent during his time at the club.
He is particularly renowned for his success in the Europa League, having won the competition three consecutive times with Sevilla before adding another title during his Aston Villa career.
Vincent Kompany — Bayern Munich
The only non-Spanish coach on the shortlist is Vincent Kompany, the former Manchester City and Belgium captain who became Bayern Munich manager in 2024.
Kompany has enjoyed considerable success in Germany, winning two Bundesliga titles, two German Super Cups and one DFB-Pokal with the Bavarian giants.
The Belgian’s achievements with Bayern have earned him recognition alongside four Spanish managers in the race for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award.
Who will win the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award?
Arteta, Enrique, De la Fuente, Emery and Kompany all enter the race with impressive achievements from the 2025/26 season.
Arteta’s Premier League triumph, Enrique’s Champions League success with PSG, De la Fuente’s World Cup victory, Emery’s European success with Aston Villa and Kompany’s domestic achievements with Bayern Munich could all prove decisive when the eventual winner is announced.
