Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta leads nominees for UEFA Coach of the Year

The Spaniard is joined on the shortlist by Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique and Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany.

Arteta guided Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years during the 2025-26 season, ending a long wait for major silverware at the Emirates.

The Gunners also reached the Champions League final, where they lost to PSG on penalties, and finished runners-up in the Carabao Cup.

Four of the five nominees are Spanish, underlining the current dominance of Spanish coaches across Europe’s top competitions.

De la Fuente is recognised for leading Spain to the 2026 World Cup title, while Luis Enrique secured a second consecutive Champions League crown with PSG.

Emery took Aston Villa to Europa League glory and a top-four finish in the Premier League, and Kompany oversaw a dominant Bundesliga campaign with Bayern.

The winner will be announced at the Ballon d’Or gala in London on 26 October.

Arteta’s nomination marks further recognition of the transformation he has overseen at Arsenal since taking charge in 2019, turning the club into consistent title challengers and European contenders once again.