Luis de la Fuente was named the men's coach of the year at the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards after guiding Spain to World Cup victory.
The prize honoured a remarkable campaign that saw Spain link their Euro 2024 title with the 2026 World Cup crown, remaining unbeaten across a record run of 43 competitive matches.
Organisers recognised the 65-year-old manager for navigating the sport's most difficult competition, overcoming tournament hurdles with a squad he has nurtured since many of the players were children.
Several members of the Spanish national team attended the ceremony and watched from the audience as their manager collected the trophy, looking on with admiration for the leader who guided them to the top.
Marcus Aurelius and team philosophy
Taking the stage, De la Fuente acknowledged with his usual warmth that his English was not proficient enough to deliver an address in the language, choosing to speak in Spanish instead.
He turned his speech immediately to his players and invoked Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, whom he regards as one of his primary historical influences. Quoting the ancient philosopher, he reminded the room that individual success makes a person visible, but collective success makes a team invincible.
De la Fuente told the audience that he did not view the award as a finish line or final target. Instead, the manager insisted that the accolade served as motivation to continue improving and pushing his team forward.
Long road to international success
Although the award arrived on the back of his 2026 triumph, De la Fuente stressed that the success had been built across many years of patient development.
The coach, who was born in Haro in the northern wine region of La Rioja, has spent much of his managerial career within the Spanish youth system, working with this generation of players through the youth ranks before taking over the senior national side.
His rise to the top of world football followed significant personal adversity. De la Fuente noted that an 18-month period he once spent unemployed had provided him with a vital lesson in humility and resilience, helping shape the managerial approach that eventually delivered international glory.
Record unbeaten sequence
Spain's triumph at the 2026 World Cup capped one of the most sustained spells of superiority in international football history, extending their unbeaten sequence in official matches to 43 games.
Winning a World Cup is widely regarded as the ultimate test in football because the tournament takes place only once every four years and leaves no margin for error. De la Fuente ensured that everything aligned for his team, managing each challenge to secure back-to-back major international honours following their European Championship victory two years earlier.
With the world title and the coach of the year award secured, Spain enter the next international cycle with their record unbeaten run intact and their manager committed to raising standards further.
