Ballon d’Or: Hansi Flick omitted as five-man Coach of the Year shortlist is revealed

The omission of Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is the major talking point after the Ballon d’Or organising committee announced the five nominees for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year award.

The shortlist brings together World Cup success, domestic dominance and runs in Europe, with Spanish coaches particularly prominent among the contenders. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique are joined by Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany.

De la Fuente leads a field that includes the coach of the newly crowned world champions. He guided Spain to the World Cup title after a campaign in which the team’s defence was particularly impressive, conceding only once throughout the tournament.

That achievement has strengthened De la Fuente’s position as one of the leading international coaches of the year. His success with Spain places him among the favourites for an award being contested by managers who have also enjoyed outstanding seasons at club level.

Arteta is another leading candidate after ending Arsenal’s 22-year wait for the Premier League title. The Spaniard also took the Gunners to the Champions League final, completing a period of significant progress in north London and establishing Arsenal as a major force in European football.

Luis Enrique has been nominated after continuing to build an impressive record with Paris Saint-Germain in domestic and European competition. His inclusion reflects the success achieved by the Parisian club during the season.

Emery also features on the shortlist after maintaining his tactical influence and producing consistent results with Aston Villa in the Premier League. The former Arsenal and Sevilla manager has continued to make his mark at Villa Park through his approach and sustained performances.

The fifth place has gone to Kompany, who guided Bayern Munich to near-total control of the Bundesliga. The Belgian’s side combined an attacking style with a strong domestic campaign and progressed to the later stages of the Champions League.

However, the absence of Flick has generated the greatest debate. The German coach delivered domestic success with Barcelona last season, but the club’s failure to compete for the major European trophies and its inability to produce a perfect campaign appear to have counted against him.

Flick’s exclusion has prompted questions about the criteria used to select the final five nominees, particularly given the closeness of the achievements recorded by the shortlisted coaches.

The official nomination post listed the contenders as follows:

“Nominated for the 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year ⬇️

Mikel Arteta – Arsenal Luis de la Fuente – Spain national team Unai Emery – Aston Villa Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich Luis Enrique – Paris-SG”

The shortlist is being viewed as one of the most competitive and controversial in recent years, with little separating several of the candidates. Attention will now turn to the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where the winner of the Men’s Coach of the Year award will be announced.