The emotional aftermath of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has continued to reshape international football, with no fewer than 17 national team coaches leaving their positions following the conclusion of the tournament.
For some, the decision marked the end of remarkable eras built over several years, while for others, the disappointment of failing to meet expectations proved too difficult to overcome. A number of coaches chose to resign, others saw their contracts expire without renewal, while some were dismissed as their football associations looked to begin a new chapter.
The latest casualty is Belgium manager Rudi Garcia, whose departure was confirmed on Monday after the Royal Belgian Football Association announced it would not renew his contract, which expires on July 31.
Garcia guided Belgium to the quarter-finals, where the Red Devils were eliminated by eventual champions Spain, who went on to edge Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s final.
His exit adds to a growing list of high-profile managerial changes that have followed the tournament, reflecting the enormous expectations and pressure attached to coaching at the highest level of international football.
Among the biggest departures is France’s Didier Deschamps, who brought an end to his remarkable 14-year reign after leading Les Bleus through one of the most successful periods in their history.
Portugal’s Roberto Martínez also stepped down after his side’s Round of 16 defeat to Spain, while Croatia’s Zlatko Dalić ended his nine-year spell after his team’s Round of 32 elimination.
Mexico’s Javier Aguirre resigned after England knocked his side out in the Round of 16, while Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman departed following the Dutch team’s Round of 32 exit.
Ecuador’s Sebastián Beccacece and Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa also stepped aside after their respective World Cup campaigns, as Scotland’s Steve Clarke and South Korea’s Hong Myung-bo resigned after failing to achieve their tournament objectives.
Tunisia dismissed Sabri Lamouchi after a crushing 5-1 defeat in their opening match, Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann also departed following disappointing campaigns that fell short of expectations while Czechia’s Miroslav Koubek resigned following his country’s group-stage exit
Senegal parted ways with Pape Thiaw after terminating his contract, while Carlos Queiroz left Ghana after the Black Stars were eliminated in the Round of 32.
The full list of coaches who have left their national teams after the 2026 FIFA World Cup includes:
Didier Deschamps (France)
Roberto Martínez (Portugal)
Zlatko Dalić (Croatia)
Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
Sebastián Beccacece (Ecuador)
Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay)
Steve Clarke (Scotland)
Hong Myung-bo (South Korea)
Sabri Lamouchi (Tunisia)
Miroslav Koubek (Czechia)
Pape Thiaw (Senegal)
Rudi Garcia (Belgium)
Carlos Queiroz (Ghana)
Jamal Sellami (Jordan)
Vladimir Petković (Algeria)
Julian Nagelsmann (Germany)
The wave of departures underlines the harsh realities of international football, where even experienced coaches often pay the price for underwhelming performances. With qualification campaigns for future tournaments already on the horizon, many football federations are expected to begin rebuilding under new leadership in the coming months.
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