Luis de la Fuente of Spain claimed the men's Coach of the Year honor at the Ballon d'Or ceremony after steering his squad to a World Cup championship. The 65-year-old picked up the trophy in London and thanked his squad members for prioritizing the collective group.
"Teamwork makes us invincible," de la Fuente said. "The secret is to work with very generous players that put the team first."
Spain began the tournament facing heavy pressure but started with a 0-0 stalemate against tournament newcomers Cape Verde. The squad grew stronger as the competition advanced, defeating tournament favorites France 2-0 in the semifinal round.
Ferran Torres netted the winning goal during a tight championship match against Lionel Messi and Argentina, locking in a 1-0 triumph in New Jersey. This World Cup victory built upon previous Nations League and Euro 2024 trophies that de la Fuente secured with Spain.
His journey to the pinnacle of the sport started in youth training rather than a prominent playing background. Following an ordinary playing career and a brief stint managing clubs, he answered an ad from the Spanish Football Federation for a youth coaching position in 2013.
He initially managed the Under-19 squad of Spain before eventually moving up to lead the main national team.
"This is recognition for a job very well done over many years," de la Fuente said, pointing to the youth development program of Spain as the bedrock of their achievements.
Pere Romeu from Barcelona captured the women's Coach of the Year honor after directing the club to trophies in the Spanish league, Spanish Cup, Super Cup, and Champions League.
