Pere Romeu named best women's football coach at 2026 Ballon d'Or gala

Pere Romeu was named the best women's football coach in the world at the 2026 Ballon d'Or gala held in London on Monday, October 26. The award recognizes his recent achievements with Barcelona Femení, where he has served as head coach since July 2024. Romeu beat fellow nominees Jonatan Giráldez, Andree Jeglertz, Nils Nielsen, and Elena Sadiku to claim the prize.

Romeu took charge of the Barcelona women's team following the departure of Jonatan Giráldez. In his first season as head coach during the 2025-2026 campaign, he guided the club to a domestic treble. This included winning the championship, the Queen's Cup, and the Spanish Super Cup. However, the team fell short in Europe that year, losing the Women's Champions League final 0-1 to Arsenal.

Barcelona secured further recognition at the ceremony by being named Club of the Year. The club's success continued into Romeu's second season, where they won the Champions League by defeating Lyon 4-0 in the final. This European title complemented the domestic honors achieved in his inaugural year as head coach.

The gala also featured individual awards for players associated with Romeu's squad. Alexia Putellas won her third career Women's Ballon d'Or. The 32-year-old midfielder scored 20 goals in 43 matches last season. Putellas now plays for London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona in the summer.

Romeu’s path to Barcelona included a brief stint in Romanian football. He served as assistant coach to Ruben de la Barrera at Viitorul Constanța in 2020. The pair joined the club in August 2020 but were dismissed after three months. Their record stood at four wins, four draws, and four losses in twelve games. Mircea Rednic was named head coach at Viitorul following their departure.

Before returning to Barcelona, Romeu worked in the club's youth setup. He coached Gavi between 2017 and 2020. He later rejoined the women's staff as an assistant to Jonatan Giráldez in 2021, prior to his promotion to head coach in 2024.