A staggering 15 World Cup coaches have left their posts during the tournament, including Portugal's Roberto Martinez and Croatia's Zlatko Dalic, after early eliminations. The mass exodus has turned the competition into a managerial crisis, with many high-profile figures stepping down or being sacked following their teams' exits.
Roberto Martinez and Zlatko Dalic Lead Departures
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez resigned after his team's round of 16 defeat to Spain. He had previously announced his intention to step down regardless of the outcome. "I came to Portugal with the objective of winning the World Cup and because I haven't won it wouldn't make sense to continue. My contract ends today," Martinez said. Long-standing Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic also left after his contract expired, following a round of 32 loss to Portugal. Dalic had led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and a bronze medal in 2022.
Further High-Profile Exits
Mexico's Javier Aguirre stood down after their round of 16 defeat to England, while Germany's Julian Nagelsmann resigned after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay in the round of 32. Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman quit after a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. Ecuador's Sebastian Beccacece, Ghana's Carlos Queiroz, and Algeria's Vladimir Petkovic also departed following their teams' eliminations in the round of 32.
Group Stage Turmoil
The group phase saw additional upheaval. Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after a 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in their opening match. His replacement, Herve Renard, resigned after just two matches once Tunisia were eliminated. Scotland's Steve Clarke ended his seven-year tenure after the team failed to advance as one of the best third-placed sides. Scotland had not participated in a World Cup since 1998. Czechia's Miroslav Koubek and South Korea's Hong Myung-bo quit after Group A elimination, while Uruguay's Marcelo Bielsa and Jordan's Jamal Sellami also left after group-stage exits.
