Arda Turan Named Ukrainian Premier League Coach of the Season

Arda Turan Wins 2025/26 UPL Coach of the Year

According to Главком: The Ukrainian Premier League has named Shakhtar Donetsk manager Arda Turan as its best coach for the 2025/26 season. The Turkish tactician secured the top spot in the voting with 36 points, edging out Vitaliy Ponomaryov of Cherkasy-based LNZ, who finished second with 27 points, and Zhytomyr's Polissya manager Ruslan Rotan, who came in third with 20 points.

In the voting process, Arda Turan received support from 9 clubs, while Vitaliy Ponomaryov earned 4 votes and Ruslan Rotan got 3. With this achievement, Turan becomes the fourth Shakhtar manager to claim the honor. Previous winners from the club include Mircea Lucescu, who won the award six times during his tenure, Paulo Fonseca (two wins), and Marino Pušić (one win).

Ukrainian Premier League Coach of the Year Winners

This annual award has been presented since 2008, with Mircea Lucescu being the first recipient and still holding the record with seven total honors. The complete list of Ukrainian Premier League Coach of the Year winners is as follows:

• 2008/09 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2009/10 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2010/11 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2011/12 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2012/13 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2013/14 - Mircea Lucescu (Shakhtar)
• 2014/15 - Serhiy Rebrov (Dynamo)
• 2015/16 - Serhiy Rebrov (Dynamo)
• 2016/17 - Paulo Fonseca (Shakhtar)
• 2017/18 - Oleksandr Khatskevych (Dynamo)
• 2018/19 - Paulo Fonseca (Shakhtar)
• 2019/20 - Viktor Skrypnyk (Zorya)
• 2020/21 - Mircea Lucescu (Dynamo)
• 2022/23 - Patrick van Leeuwen (Zorya)
• 2023/24 - Marino Pušić (Shakhtar)
• 2024/25 - Ruslan Rotan (Oleksandriya)
• 2025/26 - Arda Turan (Shakhtar)

By claiming this award, Arda Turan has cemented his place in Ukrainian football history, underscoring his reputation as a top-tier manager who has elevated his team's performance. This recognition highlights not only Turan's individual accomplishments but also his crucial role in Shakhtar Donetsk's domestic success, which could influence future transfers and the club's development going forward.

As the Ukrainian Premier League continues to celebrate outstanding performances, it's worth noting the recent recognition of top talents in the league. For further insights into the recent accolades, including the standout players and coaches of May, check out the details in our article on the top performers of the month.