An aqueous coating composition containing A) one or more water-dilutable polyester polyols having an OH number of from 20 to 300 mg KOH/g and an acid number of from 20 to 80 mg KOH/g, obtained by reacting a) 49 to 40 mol % of a carboxylic acid component containing a1) one or more aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic and/or aromatic carboxylic acids with a COOH functionality ≧2 and a2) optionally, aromatic, cycloaliphatic and/or aliphatic monocarboxylic acids with b) 51 to 60 mol % of an alcohol component containing b1) one or more aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or araliphatic polyols with Mn of from 62 to 272 g/mol and an average OH functionality ≧2 and b2) optionally, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic and/or araliphatic mono alcohols, B) one or more OH-reactive crosslinkers C) water, D) neutralizing agents and E) optionally solvents, auxiliaries and additives. The aqueous coating compositions can be used for coating metal substrates, such as cans.