The 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, has become not only an arena for dramatic matches but also a catalyst for a wave of coaching resignations. National team managers are announcing one after another that they are taking personal responsibility for the poor results and leaving their posts. Among them are Marcelo Bielsa, Sebastián Beccacece, and a number of other experienced professionals.
Marcelo Bielsa leaves Uruguay after group stage failure
On Monday, Marcelo Bielsa officially announced that he is parting ways with the Uruguay national team after the squad was eliminated in the group stage. At a press conference, he took full blame for the results, describing what happened as "disappointing and painful".
His three-year contract with the Uruguayan Football Association expires with the end of the team's participation in the World Cup, in which "La Celeste" did not record a single victory: two draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia and a loss to Spain.
Bielsa also commented on his legacy at the helm of the team by saying: "If you ask me what I will be remembered for, I will be remembered for having left nothing". He added: "My responsibility for what happened is completely obvious. I cannot justify the place we finished in".
Sebastián Beccacece leaves Ecuador after loss to Mexico
Sebastián Beccacece also announced that he is stepping down as Ecuador's manager immediately after the team's elimination in the Round of 32. The decision came directly after the 0-2 defeat against the Mexican squad – one of the tournament's co-hosts – in a match played at the Azteca on Tuesday night.
The Argentine coach, who took over the Ecuador national team in August 2024, described the result as painful and admitted that his team failed to meet the supporters' expectations. Thus, his short tenure at the helm of the selection ends with an early exit from the world stage.
A growing list of departing managers
The wave of changes in coaching staffs is not limited to Bielsa and Beccacece. According to available information, among the professionals who have already resigned during the tournament or immediately after its conclusion are:
- Steve Clarke – manager of Scotland, who led the team for seven years;
- Hong Myung-bo – manager of South Korea;
- Ronald Koeman – coach of the Netherlands, who worked for three and a half years with the "Oranje";
- Miroslav Koubek – manager of the Czech Republic.
Koubek announced his resignation on Sunday, following a 0-3 loss to Mexico that left the Czech Republic in last place in Group A. He explained the team's failure with "stupid mistakes" and accumulated fatigue from the heavy travel between the various host cities.
Sabri Lamouchi – among the first victims of the tournament
Tunisian manager Sabri Lamouchi was among the first coaches to lose his job during the World Cup. He was dismissed after a crushing 1-5 defeat in an early phase of the championship, which cast doubt on his team's overall preparation and strategy.
The unprecedented number of resignations at the 2026 World Cup shows how high the stakes are and how ruthless the football reality can be at a World Cup. Years of work, building squads, and tactical concepts can collapse in just three group-stage matches, and the responsibility almost invariably falls on the manager. In this context, resignations become not only a logical exit but also a symbolic gesture towards the fans and the federations.