The 2026 World Cup has seen an unprecedented number of managerial departures, with 15 coaches leaving their posts during or immediately after their teams' eliminations. Among the most notable is Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, who stepped down following a round of 16 loss to Spain.
High-Profile Departures
Martinez had previously announced his intention to leave after the tournament. He stated: "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." His team had advanced to the round of 16 before falling to Spain.
Long-serving Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic also departed after his contract expired. Croatia lost to Portugal in the round of 32. Dalic had led Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final and a bronze medal in 2022.
Early Knockout Exits
Germany's Julian Nagelsmann resigned after a shock penalty shootout loss to Paraguay in the round of 32, despite topping their group. Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman made a similar decision following a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco in the same round.
Mexico's Javier Aguirre stepped down after co-hosts Mexico lost to England in the round of 16. Ecuador's Sebastian Beccacece resigned after his team's defeat to Mexico in the round of 32.
Group Stage Carnage
The group stages also saw significant turnover. Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after a 5-1 loss to Sweden in their opening game. He was replaced by Herve Renard, who also left after two games when Tunisia were eliminated.
Scotland's Steve Clarke ended his seven-year reign after Scotland failed to advance as one of the best third-placed teams. Scotland had made their first World Cup appearance since 1998.
Other Departures
Carlos Queiroz left Ghana after a loss to Colombia, and Algeria's Vladimir Petkovic departed following a defeat to Switzerland. Czechia's Miroslav Koubek and South Korea's Hong Myung-bo both stepped down after group stage exits. Marcelo Bielsa resigned as Uruguay boss after failing to reach the knockout rounds, and Jordan's Jamal Sellami also left after the group stage.
In total, 15 managers have left their positions, making this World Cup one of the most turbulent for coaching stability in recent memory.
