Surprise. Luis Enrique is not the best coach of France this season.

The French Professional Players Association announced on Monday evening that Lens coach Pierre Sage has been awarded the best coach award for the 2025-2026 French league season following his success in returning the team to the Champions League.

With the crowning, Sage became the fourth coach in Lance history to win the award, following Daniel LeClair (1998), Joel Mueller (2002) and Frank Hayes (2023).

The 47-year-old French coach, who took charge of the team last summer after previous experience with Olympique Lyonnais, has been widely praised by his French colleagues and coaches for his outstanding season with the club in the Artois region.

An exceptional season that puts Racing back on top

Lens officially qualified for the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Nantes last Friday, capping off a successful season under Sage, who led the team to 21 wins in 32 games, 4 draws and 7 defeats and went on to compete with PSG for the season’s top spot.

In previous announcements about his nomination for the award, Sage said: “My attitude towards individual awards has always been the same. To me, they are nothing more than a reflection of teamwork.”

Towards a new achievement in the French Cup

Sage’s success is not limited to the domestic league as he is set to lead Lens into the French Cup final against Nice on May 22 in a historic opportunity that could give the club their first title in the competition.