Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has been named Men's Coach of the Year at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, following an extraordinary year in which he guided his country to World Cup glory.
The 65 year old received the prestigious honour after leading Spain to their second FIFA World Cup title, defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in a dramatic final on July 19.
Ferran Torres scored the winner in the 106th minute as Spain lifted the trophy for the first time since 2010.
Accepting the award, De la Fuente was quick to share the credit with his players and coaching staff.
"Good evening, it is a real honour for me to receive this prize," he said.
"To be among these nominees is just something very special. I would like to thank the rest of the nominees as they have done more than enough to deserve this."
The Spanish tactician insisted that the recognition was not about individual achievements.
"This prize is not an individual prize. This is for a whole team, a great team."
He also thanked the Spanish Football Federation and praised his players for putting the team ahead of personal ambitions.
"The secret is really working with footballers that are very generous and work in solidarity and put their team above their individual selves."
De la Fuente's latest recognition adds another chapter to his remarkable journey with Spain.
Since taking charge in December 2022, he has guided the national team to three major trophies, winning the UEFA Nations League in 2023, Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.
He claimed the coaching honour ahead of Mikel Arteta, Luis Enrique, Unai Emery and Vincent Kompany.
For De la Fuente, however, the message remained simple: individual recognition means little without collective success. That's what football is all about.