Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is among the five nominees for the Ballon d'Or men's coach of the year award, which will be revealed at tonight's ceremony in Paris. The Spaniard is in the running after guiding the Gunners to their first Premier League title since 2004.
Arteta's trophy-winning season
Arteta's seven-year tenure at Arsenal culminated earlier this year when the club secured the league title, losing just five matches on the way to the summit. He also took the Gunners to the Champions League final, where they were narrowly beaten by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
The nomination recognises his lengthy pursuit of a title finally paying off, with the award set to be unveiled at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
The five-man shortlist
Arteta faces stiff competition, including Spain's Luis de la Fuente, who won the World Cup in the summer by beating defending champions Argentina in the final in New York.
Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique, who denied Arteta and Arsenal the Champions League title, is also nominated. He helped the French club lift the Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup, Ligue 1, and the French Super Cup.
Unai Emery, the fourth Spaniard on the list, became the winningest manager in Europa League history last season after taking Aston Villa to the summit. It was his fifth title in the tournament with three different teams.
Bayern Munich's Vincent Kompany completes the shortlist after delivering a domestic treble in the 2025/26 campaign, including the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Supercup titles.
Nominees in full
- Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
- Luis de la Fuente (Spain)
- Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
- Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)
- Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
The winner will be announced at tonight's Ballon d'Or ceremony.
