Although the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still underway, the tournament has already claimed several high-profile coaching casualties, with eight national team managers leaving their posts following disappointing results, İdman.Biz reports.
Among the biggest names to depart are Ronald Koeman, Julian Nagelsmann and Marcelo Bielsa.
Koeman announced his resignation from the Netherlands on June 30 after his side were eliminated by Morocco in a penalty shootout in the Round of 32. Dutch media have identified Arne Slot as one of the leading candidates to replace him, while Erik ten Hag has also been linked with the vacancy.
Germany also officially confirmed the resignation of Julian Nagelsmann after the four-time world champions were eliminated by Paraguay in the Round of 32. The German Football Federation is expected to hold talks with Jürgen Klopp, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become the team's next head coach.
Ecuador also parted ways with Sebastián Beccacece. Despite defeating Germany during the group stage, Ecuador's World Cup campaign ended after a 2-0 defeat to Mexico. The Argentine coach admitted the team had fallen short of its goal of achieving the country's best-ever World Cup finish.
Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa stepped down after his team failed to progress beyond the group stage. Bielsa accepted full responsibility for the disappointing campaign, saying he had not made the most of the squad's potential. Uruguayan media have named Marcelo Gallardo as a possible successor.
South Korea have also changed coaches after Hong Myung-bo left his position. Although his team defeated the Czech Republic, a decisive loss to South Africa prevented them from reaching the knockout stage.
Steve Clarke has ended his tenure with Scotland after leading the nation to its first World Cup appearance in 28 years. Scotland defeated Haiti but suffered defeats to Morocco and Brazil, missing out on qualification for the knockout rounds. Ange Postecoglou has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the role.
Czech Republic head coach Miroslav Koubek also resigned after his side collected just one point in the group stage. Koubek said the poor results, along with sustained criticism from the media, influenced his decision.
Tunisia made the earliest coaching change of the tournament by dismissing Sabri Lamouchi after a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match. Hervé Renard replaced him, but Tunisia still lost all three group-stage matches.
Further changes are expected after the tournament. Didier Deschamps has already confirmed he will step down as France coach after the World Cup, with Zinedine Zidane widely tipped to succeed him. Mexico are also expected to part ways with Javier Aguirre after the tournament, with former Barcelona and Mexico captain Rafael Márquez reportedly in line for the job.
The future of Senegal coach Pape Thiaw also remains uncertain. Local media have heavily criticized the team's performances, while midfielder Pape Gueye has publicly stated that he does not want to continue playing for the national team under the current coaching staff.
