Will this World Cup feature the greatest managerial team in history?

The 2026 World Cup is fast approaching. In just over a week, the time for discussions will end and the teams will have to prove their credibility through their performance on the field in North America. All roads, whether through the United States, Mexico or Canada, will lead to New Jersey on July 19, and to the biggest football match on the planet: the World Cup final. While there will be plenty of superstars on the field, there will be almost as many recognizable faces in the dugouts. From top coaches who swapped the club game for stints on the international stage, to a host of former Premier League bosses, to legendary players from the past now trying their hand at management, this is perhaps the most star-studded – and potentially greatest – line-up in World Cup history. Elite Coaches Heading to the World Cup, four of the most in-demand and successful coaches of the last decade of European club football. Carlo Ancelotti, the former boss of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, has won the Champions League no less than five times, as well as league titles in five different countries (Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany). He now has the task of ending Brazil’s 24-year wait for its sixth world title. The first foreign coach in the history of the Seleçao, Ancelotti’s first year in charge has not always gone smoothly, but there are signs that Brazil are returning to form at the right time. Another Champions League winner who has been named as one of the favorites despite being from a foreign country, Thomas Tuchel wants to end England’s 60 years of suffering. The German oversaw a historic qualifying campaign in which the Three Lions won all eight matches without conceding a goal, and while some of their friendly results have been concerning, Tuchel’s previous cup success during his spells at Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund bodes well for a deep run. Like Ancelotti and Tuchel, another man to have entered the madhouses that are Stamford Bridge and the Parc des Princes is Mauricio Pochettino, and he has taken on perhaps the toughest task yet: ensuring the United States seizes the moment ahead of the greatest month in American football history. Pochettino has had to deal with inconsistent form, key players leaving squads and constant questions about his future – notably throughout Tottenham’s dismal season – and while he may be done with the United States, he has the coaching skills to ensure this tournament is a success for the co-hosts. This quartet is completed by the only manager to have coached in an international tournament before this World Cup, Julian Nagelsmann. Almost unique in that Nagelsmann is 30 years old and yet has already moved on to international football, his German team reflects that youthful energy and has recorded some eye-catching results under the former Bayern boss. They will be looking to go further than the Euro 2024 quarter-finals that Nagelsmann took them to two years ago. International winners Although these managers have collected trophies for fun at club level, they are still waiting for international silverware. There are, however, some coaches at this tournament who know what it takes to win major tournaments. Didier Deschamps will lead France for the final time in this World Cup, having led the Blues to glory in 2018, then to the final in 2022, where they were beaten by Argentina. Deschamps has been in charge of France for 14 years and he has reached three major finals during that time; few would bet against him doing it again. The man who succeeded Deschamps to win the World Cup, Lionel Scaloni remains in charge of Argentina, although he has repeatedly hinted he would step down since that triumphant December night in Qatar. Scaloni also won the Copa América twice with the Albiceleste and has the honor of managing Lionel Messi in what could be his final international tournament as an active player. Deschamps and Scaloni are the only World Cup-winning coaches to lead teams in 2026, but others have enjoyed success at continental tournaments. Luis de la Fuente, for example, traveled a winding route through Spain’s age-grade teams before guiding La Roja’s senior team to glory at Euro 2024, beating England in the final. Emerse Fae, however, can claim the most remarkable path to tournament success. When Ivory Coast kicked off the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Fae was the assistant coach. But following the resignation of Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament, Fae stepped up and led the Elephants to the final, where they beat Nigeria. Depending on who you believe, Pape Thiaw is also the CAN winner, after Senegal won the trophy in January. Of course, it was Thiaw’s decision to leave the field in protest that led CAF to award victory to Morocco since, but it is the Senegalese coach who has a winner’s medal on home soil. Former Premier League bosses Besides Ancelotti, Tuchel and Pochettino, many other former Premier League managers are heading to the World Cup. Former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa will guide Uruguay into battle. The maverick Argentine has inspired West Yorkshire’s dedication during his three-and-a-half seasons at the helm, and could become an Uruguay icon if he steps up to the plate. Jesse Marsch is another Elland Road alumnus, and he will be hoping to upset the apple cart with co-hosts Canada. Marsch reportedly believed he was the favorite for the United States job before Pochettino was hired, and so he will be keen to make a point to both those in his homeland and those in England who have criticized his tenure at Leeds. Ronald Koeman, meanwhile, heads to the tournament in the Dutch dugout, having managed Southampton and Everton in the English top flight. Surprisingly, his most recent club job was at Barcelona. Roberto Martinez is another who has previously managed Everton – as well as Wigan Athletic – and will take charge of Portugal. Martinez previously led Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ between 2016 and 2022, taking them to two World Cups, but he was unable to get them across the finish line. He is now responsible for presenting Cristiano Ronaldo with the only prize that has eluded him throughout his illustrious career. Elsewhere, Julen Lopetegui, the former Wolves and West Ham manager, will finally get the chance to coach at a World Cup after being sacked by Spain on the eve of the 2018 tournament for holding discussions with Real Madrid. He will take charge of Qatar. Former Manchester United man Ralf Rangnick has brought his gegenpressing model to the Austrian national team, while former West Brom boss Steve Clarke will be in charge of Scotland as they aim to reach the World Cup last 16 for the first time ever. One of only two English managers in the tournament (alongside New Zealander Darren Bazeley) is Graham Potter, who bounced back from his terrible spells in charge of Chelsea and West Ham to lead Sweden to the UEFA play-offs. Having built his reputation in Scandinavia with Ostersunds, Potter is now responsible for bringing players like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres to North America. There will, however, be no one more experienced than Dick Advocaat, who, at 78, is set to become the longest-serving manager in Premier League history. Formerly of Sunderland, as well as Rangers, PSV and Fenerbahce, Advocaat will coach his third World Cup, some 32 years after his first attempt, having achieved a minor miracle by qualifying Curaçao for the tournament. Advocaat was forced to step aside in the months following this success to spend time with his ill daughter, but was persuaded to return a few weeks later to once again manage one of the tournament’s debutants. Norwegian coach Stale Solbakken, Panama coach Thomas Christiansen and Tunisian Sabri Lamouchi all have championship experience; Solbakken coached Wolves, Christiansen spent less than a season at Leeds and Lamouchi managed Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City in the second tier. Tournament staples Some coaches become synonymous with tournament football, appearing every two or four years as fans settle in front of their televisions to watch the games unfold. One of those coaches is Zlatko Dalic, who will guide Croatia to their third World Cup under his leadership. He has never failed to reach the semi-finals in his previous two attempts, and even led Croatia to second place in 2018, meaning Dalic has a reputation to live up to in 2026. Javi Aguirre is also heading to his third World Cup in charge of Mexico, although his side have all done so in separate stints with El Tri. Aguirre led Mexico during the 2002 and 2010 tournaments, and returned for one final time with the co-hosts before handing over the reins to his assistant and legendary former captain, Rafa Marquez. Hajime Moriyasu is becoming a fixture at World Cups. He served as Japan’s assistant coach in 2018 before stepping up to the top job in time for 2022, where he guided the Samurai Blue to victories over Spain and Germany as they emerged from an intimidating group. There are familiar faces in new places too; Vladimir Petkovic, long-time Switzerland coach, is now in charge of Algeria, while Graham Arnold will take Iraq to their first World Cup since 1986 after leading Australia to the round of 16 four years ago. None, however, can rival Carlos Queiroz, who will become the third man to coach five successive World Cups after accepting a late offer to take charge of Ghana. The former Real Madrid coach and Manchester United assistant has appeared in previous tournaments with Portugal and Iran (three times) and will match the achievements of former United States coach Bora Milutinovic and 1994 winner Carlos Alberto Pereira, the latter holding the record for most appearances as a manager with six. Legendary former players While Ancelotti, Koeman and Pochettino can all claim to have enjoyed successful playing careers at the pinnacle of football before turning to management, only two managers in 2026 can claim to have won the World Cup on the pitch. The first is Deschamps, who is one of only three men to have lifted the trophy both as a player and manager, having been part of the victorious French team in 1998. The other, meanwhile, is Italy’s 2006 captain, Fabio Cannavaro. The Ballon d’Or winner 20 years ago has been named in charge of debutant Uzbekistan, having taken over in October after their qualification was confirmed. Title winners in China, results under Cannavaro have been mixed so far as the first Central Asian team to qualify for the World Cup final aims to advance from a group containing Portugal and Colombia. With no real interest in a third consecutive World Cup, Italian fans will also be keen to follow the progress of former Azzurri striker Vincenzo Montella. Part of the Italian team that reached the Euro 2000 final and a Serie A winner with Roma, Montella qualified Turkey for its first World Cup since reaching the semifinals in 2002. Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).