Ballon d'Or: Yamal continues to collect awards while De la Fuente shines.
Spanish forward Lamine Yamal, a star for Barcelona, won the Kopa Trophy for Best Young Player in the World for the third consecutive year, while his compatriot Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish national team, was awarded Best Men's Coach during the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony held in London.
After receiving the award, Yamal praised his Barcelona and Spanish national teammate Pau Cubarsi, saying: "Pau Cubarsi deserved to win this award. I thank FC Barcelona and my national team."
When asked by former French star Thierry Henry if the Kopa Trophy was the award he was hoping to win at the ceremony, Yamal replied: "No, I want to win all the awards, but I hoped this specific award would go to Pau Cubarsi."
Yamal is also still in contention for the Ballon d'Or for Best Player in the World.
De la Fuente Named Best Coach in the World
In the coaching category, Luis de la Fuente received the award for Best Men's Coach after leading the Spanish national team to the 2026 World Cup title, achieving this feat for the second time in the country's history.
The Spanish coach surpassed a group of prominent contenders for the award, including Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Unai Emery of Aston Villa, and Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich.
De la Fuente took the place of his compatriot Luis Enrique on the list of award winners.
The ceremony featured an emotional moment when De la Fuente embraced Lamine Yamal before stepping onto the stage to receive his award.
The victories of Yamal and De la Fuente reflect the growing strength of Spanish football in the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards, following the achievements of the national team and Spanish clubs during the season.
Yamal's victory came after a season full of achievements, where he helped lead the Spanish national team to win the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
He also delivered an outstanding performance that contributed to Barcelona retaining the La Liga title for the second consecutive season.
After receiving the award, Yamal praised his Barcelona and Spanish national teammate Pau Cubarsi, saying: "Pau Cubarsi deserved to win this award. I thank FC Barcelona and my national team."
When asked by former French star Thierry Henry if the Kopa Trophy was the award he was hoping to win at the ceremony, Yamal replied: "No, I want to win all the awards, but I hoped this specific award would go to Pau Cubarsi."
Yamal is also still in contention for the Ballon d'Or for Best Player in the World.
De la Fuente Named Best Coach in the World
In the coaching category, Luis de la Fuente received the award for Best Men's Coach after leading the Spanish national team to the 2026 World Cup title, achieving this feat for the second time in the country's history.
The Spanish coach surpassed a group of prominent contenders for the award, including Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain, Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Unai Emery of Aston Villa, and Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich.
De la Fuente took the place of his compatriot Luis Enrique on the list of award winners.
The ceremony featured an emotional moment when De la Fuente embraced Lamine Yamal before stepping onto the stage to receive his award.
The victories of Yamal and De la Fuente reflect the growing strength of Spanish football in the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards, following the achievements of the national team and Spanish clubs during the season.
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