Best World Cup managers, ranked: These 2026 bosses have the glossiest resumes

FeedzySome of the most successful managers in soccer will lead their teams in this World Cup. Read More
The names that are remembered from the World Cup are often times those on the pitch.
Pelé. Beckham. Messi.
And those stars are the reason that their teams have captured glory.
But the managers are those who carefully crafted their team’s rosters, developed formations and created cohesion.
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Names like Vittorio Pozzo, Sir Alf Ramsey and Carlos Alberto Parreira are highly esteemed in football communities for leading Italy, England and Brazil, respectively, to World Cup championships.

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1930- Uruguay defeats Argentina 4-2 in the first World Cup event held in Uruguay.

(AFP via Getty Images)

The 2026 World Cup offers a variety of leadership, including veteran managers who have appeared in multiple competitions and one who is younger than Cristiano Ronaldo. But all have one goal in mind: to win the tournament and bring the country they’re representing glory.
Here are the 11 best managers of the 2026 World Cup:
Carlos Queiroz was hired by Ghana just two months before the World Cup kickoff. He’s one of the older managers in the competition at 73 years old. He has experience in the Premier League with Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson and helmed La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid. He has coached five World Cup teams, leading South Africa and Portugal for a tournament each and three competitions with Iran. The farthest he’s made it is the Round of 16 with Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo when they outlasted that year’s Group of Death with Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea, who they handled 7-0 in the group stage.
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Even though he’s been in a lot of World Cups and international tournaments, Queiroz hasn’t exactly won anything. But there is something to say for coaching in his sixth World Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful he can bring a wealth of club experience to World Cup co-host the United States. The Argentine manager spent time with Tottenham, whom he resurrected and helped bring to glory in the late 2010s. He led the Spurs to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool. Pochettino then was the head coach at Paris Saint-Germain, a club he played at, and reached the Champions League semifinal before winning the Ligue 1 championship. He also played in the 2002 World Cup and knows what his players are feeling preparing for the global stage.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 31: Mauricio Pochettino looks on prior to the international friendly match between United States and Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2026 with Uruguay, Marcelo Bielsa is managing in his third World Cup with a third different national team. He has a chip on his shoulder from the disappointing 2002 tournament where Argentina was knocked out of the Round of 16 with now-USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino was on the roster. Bielsa then took Chile to its first World Cup in 12 years when they qualified for the 2010 competition. He led them to the knockout round for only the second time in the side’s history.
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Uruguay signed the manager, who also has experience with Olympique Marseille, Lille and Leeds, in 2023. He has been ushering the team into a new chapter with the retirements of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez, allowing Federico Valverde to step up.
Julian Nagelsmann is only 38 years old and he is ready to shake up the 2026 World Cup. He signed on with his home team of Germany in 2023 with the task of preparing the side to host the 2024 EURO championship. He led Germany to the quarterfinals in that tournament where they lost to Spain, who would win it all. Prior to joining Germany, Nagelsmann led Bayern Munich to the 2022 Bundesliga title, the team’s 10th straight league championship. The DFB took a chance on his youth and grit and it’s paying off so far.
After cutting his chops with European clubs Everton and Swansea, people first stared remembering the name Roberto Martínez when he was the manager for Belgium. The Red Devils made an incredible run in the 2018 tournament, finishing third with the team’s all-time leading scorer, Romelu Lukaku. The Spaniard joined Portugal in 2023 and was tasked with helping Cristiano Ronaldo win some more trophies. Martínez has positive momentum heading into the World Cup after winning the 2025 UEFA Nations League by beating red hot Spain in penalties. Ronaldo had three goals in the tournament, which means his manager is assuring he still feels confident.

LEIRIA, PORTUGAL – JUNE 10: Head Coach Roberto Martinez of Portugal during the International Friendly match between Portugal and Nigeria at Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa on June 10, 2026 in Leiria, Portugal.
Croatia isn’t usually the first name fans think of when listing off soccer powerhouses. But Zlatko Dalić has made the side a venerable one. He signed with the team in 2017 and instnatly made a splash, qualifying for the 2018 World Cup and taking Croatia all the way to the final, where they lost to France. He hasn’t missed a tournament since.
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Dalić has experience with several club teams in Croatia and stints in the Saudi Pro League. His leadership allows star players like Luka Modrić, Joško Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić to shine while providing them youthful support that ensures the team has a future.
Luis de la Fuente made a major statement when he won the European championship in 2024 with Spain, managing the talents of Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pedri. He only has three losses in 41 wins at the helm of La Roja since signing in 2022. One of those was a defeat at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in penalty kicks for the 2025 UEFA Nations League Final.
de la Fuente brought fresh energy to the team after leading Spain’s younger programs. It was much-needed after La Roja was kicked out of the 2022 World Cup in the Round of 16 under Luis Enrique.
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Thomas Tuchel has the hefty job of bringing it home. The German manager took the reins of the England national team on the first day of 2025. Prior to that, he was voted FIFA and UEFA Coach of the Year in 2021 after winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. Tuchel won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 and boosted the team to the UEFA Champions League final. His journey toward greatness started when he won the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund in 2017.
Tuchel is only the third non-English coach to helm the Three Lions.

June 9, 2026; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, U.S.; England manager Thomas Tuchel during the press conference.
Lionel Scaloni was given a massive task when the assistant coach took the reins of Argentina in 2018. His job was to boost Lionel Messi to a World Cup win after a disappointing tournament where the team was knocked out in the Round of 16. He delivered and more. La Albiceleste did, indeed, win the 2022 World Cup, making Messi a true all-time great. Before that, Scaloni led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América championship, Messi’s first major trophy with his national team. And then, La Selección won the tournament in 2024, too, to prove that winning is Scaloni’s way.
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Didier Deschamps has taken France to back-to-back World Cup finals. He is the longest-tenured coach in the history of his home country and is among those rare managers who also played in a World Cup. He didn’t just play, he won France’s first World Cup back in 1998 and did it on home soil. As a manager, Deschamps has expertly brought together big names like 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and 2022 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé. The 2026 tournament might be his swan song and his players have told media they aren’t distracted by the possibility. If anything, it gives more reason for Les Bleus to rally around their leader.
After a successful playing career that included two Champions League titles and inclusion on two World Cup rosters for Italy, Carlo Ancelotti became one of the greatest managers of all time. He holds the record for most Champions League trophies with five, two with AC Milan and three with Real Madrid. He also is the only manager to capture a league title in each of Europe’s five major leagues, Serie A, Ligue 1, Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga.
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He was masterfully in control while fans were buzzing over questions about Neymar’s inclusion on this summer’s World Cup. While he doesn’t have extensive experience with national teams, he brings incredible confidence to Brazil.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking best 2026 World Cup managers, where Poch and Ancelotti it in