Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025: Luis Enrique, Enzo Maresca and Sarina Wiegman lead nominees for Ballon d’Or’s best coach awards in men & women’s game

The Johan Cruyff Trophy is named in tribute to the late Dutch football icon, whose vision and tactical genius changed the sport forever. The award now shines a light on managers who have made an exceptional impact over the past season. With both the men’s and women’s footballing landscape seeing incredible achievements over the 2024–25 season, the list of nominees is filled with some seasoned winners along with a couple of bold new faces in elite coaching. Below is a look at the coaches nominated this year and what earned them a place among the world’s finest.

1) Antonio Conte (Napoli)

2) Luis Enrique (PSG)

3) Hansi Flick (Barcelona)

4) Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)

5) Arne Slot (Liverpool)

1) Sonia Bompastor (Chelsea)

2) Arthur Elias (Brazil)

3) Justine Madugu (Nigeria)

4) Renee Slegers (Arsenal)

5) Sarina Wiegman (England)

In his return to the dugout, Conte masterminded a surprise resurgence for Napoli, leading the Italian side to a Serie A title in a season few had predicted such success. Whereas, the Paris Saint-Germain boss, Enrique, guided his team to a historic treble as the Parisians lifted the Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the Champions League trophies. 

Flick’s debut season at Barcelona was nothing short of sensational, securing a domestic treble that included La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. The Blaugranas beat Real Madrid on four occasions, scoring 16 goals in the process. Meanwhile, former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot enjoyed a seamless transition to Liverpool, replacing Jurgen Klopp and guiding the Reds to a record 20th Premier League title and a second-place finish in the Carabao Cup.

Chelsea had a sensational season with both Maresca and Bompastor getting nominated. While the Italian inspired the Blues to the Club World Cup title, Bompastor guided her troops to a domestic treble in 2024-25, lifting the League Cup, FA Cup, as well as the Women’s Super League (WSL) titles. 

Renee Slegers made history with Arsenal as the Gunners stopped Barcelona's juggernaut in the Champions League, as they snatched a narrow 1-0 victory over the defending champions in Lisbon. While Sarina Wiegman had another impressive campaign, guiding the Lionesses to the Euro 2025 triumph, exacting revenge over Spain in a tightly contested final in Switzerland. 

Interestingly, last year’s recipients of the Johan Cruyff Award—Carlo Ancelotti, then of Real Madrid, and Emma Hayes, now head coach of the USWNT—are not among this year’s nominees. Their absence makes way for a new wave of contenders to be honoured for tactical excellence and team success.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony promises to be another night of glamour, storytelling, and celebration at the Theatre du Châtelet in Paris. Coaches, players, and dignitaries from around the world will gather to honour the finest achievements from the 2024–25 season. With a deeply competitive field and no clear frontrunners in the Johan Cruyff category, this year’s award could be one of the most hotly contested yet.