Cesc Fabregas has become the third non-Italian manager to win the Serie A Coach of the Year award after being recognised for his impressive work with Como during the 2025/26 season.
Fabregas received the honour at the Gran Galà del Calcio AIC ceremony held at Teatro alla Scala in Milan on Wednesday.
The Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) named the former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Serie A Coach of the Year, while Inter Milan were honoured as the league’s Club of the Year.
According to Lega Serie A, the ceremony celebrated the outstanding performers from the 2025/26 campaign, with “Cesc Fàbregas” receiving the “premio di Allenatore dell’Anno” and Inter being named “Società dell’Anno.”
The league body said: “Il riconoscimento di Migliore Assoluto è stato assegnato a Federico Dimarco. Cesc Fàbregas ha ricevuto il premio di Allenatore dell’Anno, mentre l’FC Internazionale Milano è stata eletta Società dell’Anno.”
The award caps a historic campaign for Como, who finished fourth in Serie A and secured Champions League qualification for the first time in the club’s history.
Reuters reported that Como “have Champions League football to look forward to this season after a fourth-placed finish brought the club European qualification for the first time.”
Como ended the season with 71 points, finishing behind champions Inter, Napoli and Roma in the final standings.
Fabregas’ achievement puts him alongside two notable foreign managers who previously won the Serie A Coach of the Year award — Sweden’s Sven-Göran Eriksson and Portugal’s José Mourinho.
Eriksson became the first non-Italian winner after guiding Lazio to the Serie A title during the 1999/2000 season.
Mourinho later won the award in consecutive seasons after leading Inter to domestic and European success.
UEFA noted of Mourinho’s second award: “José Mourinho has been voted Serie A’s best coach of 2009/10 after completing a famous treble with former club FC Internazionale Milano by winning the UEFA Champions League.”
The governing body’s report added: “José Mourinho has been honoured by his peers in Italy for Inter’s 2009/10 successes.”
Fabregas’ latest recognition comes after Como’s remarkable progress under his management. The club’s fourth-place finish secured its first-ever Champions League qualification, with the achievement confirmed towards the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
Before the final round of matches, Lega Serie A had highlighted Como’s push for a Champions League place, stating: “Il Como si qualifica in Champions League se” while outlining the different results that could secure the club a top-four finish.
Como eventually achieved the target, handing Fabregas a significant milestone in his managerial career.
The 2026 Gran Galà del Calcio also saw Como midfielder Nico Paz named Serie A Young Player of the Year, while Inter’s Federico Dimarco was voted the overall best player of the 2025/26 season.
Lega Serie A said the awards were determined through votes from players, with the exception of the Goal of the Year award, which was decided by fans.
It stated: “I riconoscimenti relativi alla stagione 2025-2026 sono stati assegnati sulla base del voto diretto dei calciatori, chiamati a scegliere i migliori colleghi ruolo per ruolo. Fa eccezione il premio Vota il Gol, assegnato dal voto dei tifosi.”
Fabregas, 39, now joins Eriksson and Mourinho as the only non-Italian managers to have won the Serie A Coach of the Year award.