The Spanish national team made history by sweeping the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards, winning in almost every category. Lamine Yamal, Unai Simón and Luis Enrique were the stars of a night that confirmed Spanish football's global dominance.
Lamine Yamal claimed the award for the world's best player and also the best young player, a double that shows his meteoric rise. In goal, Unai Simón was recognised as the best goalkeeper, while Cata Coll did the same in the women's category. On the bench, Luis Enrique lived up to the predictions that favoured him. "The coach fulfilled the forecasts that had him as the favourite to be crowned the best coach in the world for 2026," the manager himself confirmed.
The success was completed with Vicky López as best women's player and best young player, and Pere Romeu as best women's coach after a sensational season with Barcelona. The men's senior national team itself was awarded as the best team of the year.
This flood of awards comes at a time of great competitive form for La Roja. The national side is on a four-game winning streak, the latest a 1-2 win over Croatia on 6 October with a brace from Mikel Merino. The team, which also beat the Czech Republic 3-1 on 3 October, now looks ahead to its next fixture.
The next appointment is an away match against the Czech Republic on 12 November, a game for which Luis Enrique will have a squad in fine form and led in attack by top scorer Mikel Oyarzabal with five goals this season.
With this record, the Spanish national team approaches the end of the year with sky-high morale, bolstered not only by results but by the individual recognition of its stars. The work of the youth system and the solidity of the block led by Luis Enrique seem like guarantees for the future.
The original report is at La Voz de Galicia
