The 2022 FIFA World Cup brought joy, heartbreak, and career-defining moments—not just for players, but also for the managers who guided their teams. While some coaches celebrated historic achievements, others left their posts following disappointing exits.
Lionel Scaloni Halts Didier Deschamps’ Historic Quest
France’s Didier Deschamps aimed to equal Vittorio Pozzo’s 84-year-old record as the only manager to lead a nation to back-to-back World Cup titles. That ambition was thwarted by Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni, the youngest coach at the tournament at 44. Scaloni guided Argentina to their second major trophy in two years, having also won the 2021 Copa America, cementing his place as one of world football’s brightest young managers.
Celebrating “Small Wins”
Other managers enjoyed relative success, such as Croatia’s Zlatko Dalić and Morocco’s Walid Regragui, who guided their teams to unexpected achievements. However, several high-profile managers missed their targets and subsequently departed from their roles.
Departures and Resignations
Otto Addo – Ghana
As interim manager, former Black Stars midfielder Otto Addo led Ghana to their fourth World Cup. Unfortunately, Ghana exited after a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, despite resilient performances against Portugal and South Korea. Addo had already announced before the tournament that he would step down after Qatar, emphasizing his commitment to his role at Borussia Dortmund.
Louis van Gaal – Netherlands
At 72, the veteran Dutch manager concluded his third term as national coach following a quarter-final defeat to Argentina on penalties after a thrilling 2-2 draw. Van Gaal reflected positively on his tenure: “In that time I coached 20 matches and we didn’t lose a single one… the goal difference speaks for itself.”
Gerardo Martino – Mexico
Mexico struggled in Qatar, failing to progress past the group stage despite a final win over Saudi Arabia. Martino, whose tenure included 42 victories in 66 games with a 63.64% win rate, stepped down immediately after the tournament. “I fully assume responsibility for this great failure,” he said, leaving as one of Mexico’s most successful managers statistically.
Roberto Martínez – Belgium
Belgium crashed out of the group stage, despite starting with a narrow win over Canada. Following a scoreless draw with Croatia, Martínez’s contract ended, marking the conclusion of a six-year spell in charge. Under his leadership, Belgium had reached their first World Cup semi-final since 1986 and secured a UEFA Nations League last-four appearance.
Luis Enrique – Spain
Spain, the 2010 champions, were eliminated in the round of 16 by Morocco on penalties. Despite a record 7-0 victory over Costa Rica, Enrique was replaced by under-21 coach Luis de la Fuente following the tournament.
Paulo Bento – South Korea
After leading South Korea to the round of 16, exceeding expectations with wins over Portugal, Bento stepped down in line with his prior plans. The Asian Tigers fell 4-1 to Brazil in the round of 16.
Tite – Brazil
After six years at the helm of the five-time world champions, Tite confirmed his cycle with the national team was over. Despite a strong start and a 4-1 win over South Korea, Brazil were eliminated on penalties by Croatia in the quarter-finals. “I said over a year and a half ago this cycle would end… there are other great professionals who can replace me,” Tite stated.
Fernando Santos – Portugal
Portugal’s 68-year-old former Greece manager ended his eight-year tenure following a quarter-final exit to Morocco. Under Santos, Portugal won Euro 2016 and the inaugural UEFA Nations League in 2019. The Portuguese Football Federation thanked him for his service and announced a search for his successor.
Summary
The 2022 World Cup highlighted the high stakes of international football management. While Scaloni and other managers celebrated unprecedented successes, several prominent coaches—Addo, Van Gaal, Martino, Martínez, Enrique, Bento, Tite, and Santos—departed from their roles following disappointing exits. For many, their contributions and legacies will be remembered, even as new chapters begin for their national teams.
