Spanish players and coaches won all six awards presented so far at the Ballon d'Or 2026 gala in London on Monday, including a third consecutive Kopa Trophy for Lamine Yamal, El País reported.
The sweep covers both goalkeeper prizes, both coaching awards and both young player trophies. The main men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards are still to be announced. According to El País, Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane are the three men's candidates with the best chances of winning.
El País said the ceremony confirms the steady growth of Spanish football.
Ballon d'Or 2026 winners so far
These are the awards handed out so far, according to El País:
- Kopa Trophy (best young male player): Lamine Yamal
- Best young female player: Vicky López
- Best men's coach: Luis de la Fuente
- Best women's coach: Pere Romeu
- Best male goalkeeper: Unai Simón
- Best female goalkeeper: Cata Coll
Lamine Yamal wins Kopa Trophy for third straight edition
The Kopa Trophy for the best young player of the year opened the ceremony. Diomande, Cubarsí and Yamal were among the nominees, El País reported.
Yamal, a forward for Barcelona and the Spanish national team, won the award for the third consecutive edition. After collecting it, he said he would have liked the prize to go to Cubarsí, his teammate at Barcelona and with Spain, according to El País.
The women's young player trophy went to Vicky López, a Barcelona midfielder from Madrid. El País said the award rewarded an excellent season.
López thanked her mother, who died when López was young. "Gracias mamá por enseñarme a no rendirme," she said, thanking her mother for teaching her not to give up.
Who won best goalkeeper and best coach at the Ballon d'Or 2026?
Former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel announced both goalkeeper awards. Unai Simón, Spain's goalkeeper, was named best goalkeeper of the season ahead of fellow nominees Joan García and David Raya, El País reported.
Cata Coll, who is from Catalonia, won the award for best female goalkeeper of the season.
Rafa Benítez, the Madrid-born coach who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, presented the men's and women's coaching awards.
Luis de la Fuente won the men's prize after leading Spain to the World Cup title, according to El País. "El éxito no es definitivo," the Spain head coach said, telling the audience that success is not final.
El País reported that De la Fuente stressed the collective effort behind the award. He closed his speech by quoting the Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius, whom he reads avidly.
Pere Romeu, head coach of Barcelona's women's team, won the women's coaching award after what El País called a sensational season on the club's bench.
Romeu thanked his players and staff and emphasized the team's collective character over the past season. "Me gustaría que aquí pudiéramos estar todos," he said, expressing his wish that everyone could be there with him.
Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or bid: who are the favorites?
Yamal, Mbappé and Kane lead the men's field, El País reported. Kane praised his younger rival before the ceremony.
"Lamine es un jugador increíble. Lo que hace a su edad es increíble," the England forward said, calling Yamal an incredible player and his achievements at his age incredible. Kane also said it had been an important year for him, according to El País.
Three Spanish players are among the 10 nominees for the women's Ballon d'Or: Alexia Putellas, Claudia Pina and Patri Guijarro.
Kane arrived at the gala with his wife, Katie Goodland. Yamal arrived with his partner, content creator Inés García, El País reported.
Traffic delays the London ceremony
The start of the gala was pushed back by a further fifteen minutes because traffic prevented guests from arriving on time, El País reported.
Singer Jorja Smith opened the ceremony. British journalist Kate Scott and former France forward Thierry Henry are presenting it.
The ceremony is still under way. The winners of the men's and women's Ballon d'Or, along with the full rankings and vote breakdowns, are due to be revealed later on Monday night.