Former Celtic Women’s head coach Elena Sadiku has been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Sadiku took over at Celtic in January 2024 to become the Hoops’ first-ever female boss, and she soon made even more history at the club.
She guided the women’s side to their first SWPL title within six months of arriving – a final-day victory over Hibs ensuring the title was theirs.
The Swede then guided Celtic through three qualifying rounds as they secured a spot in their first Champions League campaign, losing narrowly to Chelsea before defeats to Real Madrid and Twente. They became the first Scottish side to qualify for the group stages of the competition in the modern format.
They struggled in the latter stages of the league season and finished fourth as they tried to retain their crown, finishing 15 points behind eventual winners Hibs.
She has since led them to the first-ever edition of the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup. They beat Swedish rivals Hammarby 4-2 in a two-legged final.
Her exploits have seen her nominated for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Women’s Coach of the Year award, and she is the first female coach named alongside the managers of Barcelona, OL Olyonnes, Manchester City and the Japan national team.
It is a significant nomination for the 32-year-old who is going from strength to strength.
She will always be remembered for delivering the first league title to the women’s side and we wish her luck at the awards!
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