13 Coaches Lose Their Jobs After World Cup Exits
by Kosta Papadopoulos · Greek City TimesThe World Cup 2026 quarter-final lineup is now complete, but for several national teams the tournament has already triggered major changes on the sidelines.
Following Switzerland’s dramatic penalty shootout victory over Colombia, the eight remaining teams are Argentina, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Norway, France and Morocco. While those nations continue their pursuit of a place in the semi-finals, others have begun rebuilding after disappointing campaigns.
A total of 13 football federations have ended their partnerships with coaches who guided their teams to the World Cup finals, opening the door to a new era following early eliminations.
The latest addition to the list was Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, who stepped down after Croatia’s defeat by Portugal, ending an almost nine-year spell in charge of the national team.
The number of departures could still increase as the tournament moves towards its conclusion.
Coaches who left during World Cup 2026
Marcelo Bielsa — Uruguay
Bielsa’s tenure ended after Uruguay failed to progress from the group stage. The former world champions drew 1-1 with Saudi Arabia, drew 2-2 with Cape Verde and lost 1-0 to Spain.
With his contract expiring after the tournament, the Uruguayan Football Association decided against renewing his deal, bringing an end to a coaching cycle that began in 2023.
Roberto Martínez — Portugal
Portugal topped their group after a 1-1 draw with DR Congo, a 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan and a goalless draw against Colombia.
After defeating Croatia 2-1 in the knockout stage, Portugal exited the tournament after a 1-0 defeat to Spain. Martínez announced his departure afterwards, saying the ultimate objective had been winning the World Cup.
Javier Aguirre — Mexico
Mexico impressed during the group stage, defeating South Africa, South Korea and the Czech Republic before eliminating Ecuador in the round of 32.
However, England ended Mexico’s campaign with a 3-2 victory in the round of 16. The Mexican federation then decided to end Aguirre’s third spell as national team coach and appointed Rafael Márquez as his successor.
Sebastián Beccacece — Ecuador
Ecuador began with a defeat against Ivory Coast, drew with Curaçao and defeated Germany 2-1 to reach the knockout stage.
After a 2-0 defeat to Mexico eliminated the team, Beccacece resigned, saying he believed his cycle had come to an end.
Julian Nagelsmann — Germany
Germany started strongly by beating Curaçao 7-1 and Ivory Coast 2-1 but later lost 2-1 to Ecuador.
After a 1-1 draw with Paraguay, Germany lost on penalties and exited the tournament. The disappointing campaign accelerated Nagelsmann’s departure, with speculation linking Jürgen Klopp to the national team role.
Ronald Koeman — Netherlands
The Netherlands drew with Japan, defeated Sweden 5-1 and beat Tunisia to qualify for the knockout stage.
Their campaign ended after a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco following a 1-1 draw. Koeman resigned immediately after the elimination.
Carlos Queiroz — Ghana
Ghana defeated Panama, drew with England and lost to Croatia before reaching the round of 32.
A 1-0 defeat against Colombia ended their tournament, and Queiroz announced his departure only three months after taking charge.
Hong Myung-bo — South Korea
South Korea opened with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic but then lost against Mexico and South Africa.
The team failed to advance, and Hong Myung-bo left amid strong criticism.
Steve Clarke — Scotland
Scotland began with a 1-0 win over Haiti but later lost to Morocco and Brazil.
The group-stage elimination ended Clarke’s tenure after he had managed Scotland since 2019.
Miroslav Koubek — Czech Republic
The Czech Republic opened with a 2-1 defeat against South Korea, drew with South Africa and lost 3-0 to Mexico.
After failing to win a match, the federation confirmed Koubek’s departure.
Jamal Sellami — Jordan
Jordan lost all three group matches against Austria, Algeria and Argentina.
The federation decided to end its cooperation with Moroccan coach Sellami after the team exited without collecting a point.
Sabri Lamouchi and Hervé Renard — Tunisia
Tunisia experienced a turbulent tournament, beginning with a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden.
The result led to Lamouchi’s dismissal, with Renard appointed immediately afterwards. However, the change failed to improve results, as Tunisia later lost 4-0 to Japan and 3-1 to the Netherlands.
After finishing bottom of their group without a point, Tunisia also dismissed Renard only 19 days after appointing him.
Zlatko Dalić — Croatia
Croatia became the latest team to change coaches after losing 2-1 to Portugal in the knockout stage.
Dalić personally informed the Croatian Football Federation president of his resignation, ending a historic period that included nearly nine years leading the national side.
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.