Qatar 2022 World Cup: who are the coaches of each national team?
Tite, Southgate, Luis Enrique, Van Gaal... We profile the head coaches of all 32 teams at World Cup 2022.
Group A
Ecuador: Gustavo Alfaro
Age: 60 - Nationality: Argentinian
After winning a league title in his native country with Boca Juniors, Argentinian coach Alfaro took over as Ecuador boss in August 2020, steering La Tri back to the World Cup after their failure to reach Russia 2018.
Netherlands: Louis van Gaal
Age: 71 - Nationality: Dutch
In his third spell as Netherlands boss, Van Gaal has said he will step down after Qatar 2022, with Ronald Koeman replacing him. The 71-year-old was also in charge of the Dutch in their last World Cup appearance eight years ago, leading the Oranje to third place in Brazil.
Qatar: Félix Sánchez
Age: 46 - Nationality: Spanish
Having begun his career in the Barcelona academy, Sánchez has been coaching in Qatar since 2006. After working first at the Aspire Academy, then in the Qatari national team’s age-group setup, he was appointed as head coach of the senior side in 2017. Two years later, the Spaniard led the Qataris to a surprise Asian Cup triumph.
Senegal: Aliou Cissé
Age: 46 - Nationality: Senegalese
Cissé has had a major role in each of Senegal’s World Cup appearances. Captain in 2002, he was appointed as national-team boss in 2015 and led the team to Russia 2018, where they went out in the group stage. Under the 46-year-old, Senegal won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in early 2022.
Group B
England: Gareth Southgate
Age: 52 - Nationality: English
At the England helm since 2016, Southgate piloted the Three Lions to fourth place at World Cup 2018, and to the final of Euro 2020 a year ago. Not since 1968 have England reached at least the semi-finals of consecutive major tournaments.
Iran: Carlos Queiroz
Age: 69 - Nationality: Portuguese
Queiroz returned for a second spell as Iran head coach in September, replacing the Croat Dragan Skokic. The Portuguese was also in charge of Iran at World Cups 2014 and 2018, overseeing group-stage exits on both occasions.
United States: Gregg Berhalter
Age: 49 - Nationality: American
The former Hammerby and Columbus Crew coach took over from Bruce Arena in 2018, following the USMNT’s embarrassing failure to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. Under Berhalter, the US have won a CONCACAF Nations League and a Gold Cup, and qualified for Qatar 2022 behind Canada and Mexico.
Wales: Rob Page
Age: 48 - Nationality: Welsh
Originally assistant to former Wales head coach Ryan Giggs, Page took over as boss - initially as caretaker - following Giggs’ arrest on assault charges in 2020. After steering the Welsh to the knockout stages of Euro 2020, the 48-year-old has now led the country to World Cup qualification for the first time since 1958.
Group C
Argentina: Lionel Scaloni
Age: 44 - Nationality: Argentinian
Since taking over after Argentina endured a poor World Cup 2018 under Jorge Sampaoli, Scaloni has shaped an Albiceleste side that is 36 games unbeaten and a key contender to lift the trophy in Qatar. Under the former defender, Argentina won the Copa América in 2021 - their first major silverware since 1993.
Mexico: Gerardo Martino
Age: 44 - Nationality: Argentinian
Appointed in 2019, Martino piloted Mexico to Gold Cup victory the same year, and oversaw a World Cup qualification campaign in which El Tri finished level on points with CONCACAF group winners Canada. The Mexicans do not head to Qatar in good form, though, and Martino is under fire in the national media.
Poland: Czeslaw Michniewicz
Age: 52 - Nationality: Polish
After coaching Legia Warsaw to the Polish title in 2020/21, Michniewicz replaced Portugal’s Paulo Sousa as Poland boss in January this year, just a couple of months before they beat Sweden in the World Cup qualification playoffs.
Saudi Arabia: Hervé Renard
Age: 54 - Nationality: French
Twice an Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach - with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015 - Renard has been Saudi Arabia boss since 2019. The 54-year-old gets his second crack at the World Cup, having managed Morocco at Russia 2018.
Group D
Australia: Graham Arnold
Age: 59 - Nationality: Australian
Having previously served as Australia’s assistant and interim coach, Arnold replaced Dutchman Bert van Marwijk as the Socceroos’ boss in 2018. As a player, the 59-year-old was part of the Australian team that narrowly missed out on qualification for the 1998 World Cup.
Denmark: Kasper Hjulmand
Age: 50 - Nationality: Danish
A Danish league winner as coach of Nordsjaellund, Hjulmand took over from Age Hareide as Denmark boss in 2020. Under the 50-year-old, an impressive Danish team reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020, and dropped just three points as they secured automatic qualification for Qatar 2022.
France: Didier Deschamps
Age: 54 - Nationality: French
Deschamps was France’s captain when they won their first World Cup in 1998, before coaching Les Bleus to their second global crown four years ago. He is one of only three man to win the trophy as both a player and a coach; Brazil’s Mário Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer are the other two.
Tunisia: Jalel Kadri
Age: 50 - Nationality: Tunisian
A coach who has twice served as Tunisia’s assistant, Kadri was appointed to the top job in place of Mondher Kebaier after the Eagles of Carthage exited the Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage in January. In March, he led the Tunisians through a World Cup qualification playoff against Mali.
Group E
Costa Rica: Luis Fernando Suárez
Age: 62 - Nationality: Colombian
Costa Rica boss since June 2021, Suárez will be coaching at his third World Cup. He was at the Ecuador helm at Germany 2006 - leading La Tri to the knockout stages - before taking Honduras to Brazil 2014.
Germany: Hansi Flick
Age: 57 - Nationality: German
Having replaced World Cup-winning Germany coach Joachim Löw in August 2021, Flick is the first manager other than Löw to lead Die Mannschaft into a major tournament since Jürgen Klinsmann in 2006. The 57-year-old was assistant to Löw when Germany lifted the trophy in 2014.
Japan: Hajime Moriyasu
Age: 54 - Nationality: Japanese
The former Japan Under-23s boss replaced Akira Nishino after the 2018 World Cup, where the Japanese were narrowly beaten by Belgium in the last 16. Under Moriyasu, the Samurai Blue were Asian Cup runners-up in 2019.
Spain: Luis Enrique
Age: 52 - Nationality: Spanish
Now in his second stint as Spain head coach following a short hiatus in 2019, former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has delivered good results: La Roja were a penalty shootout away from the Euro 2020 final last year, and in September qualified for their second straight Nations League finals.
Group F
Belgium: Roberto Martínez
Age: 52 - Nationality: Spanish
Belgium head coach since 2016, Martínez will be in charge of Les Diables Rouges at a major tournament for the third time. The Spaniard piloted the Belgians to third place at the World Cup four years ago - their best ever finish - before overseeing a quarter-final defeat to eventual winners Italy at Euro 2020.
Canada: John Herdman
Age: 47 - Nationality: English
Twice an Olympic bronze medallist as head coach of Canada’s women’s team, Herdman was handed the men’s job in 2018 - and has led the Canucks to their first World Cup appearance since 1986. The Canadians topped CONCACAF qualifying ahead of Mexico and the United States.
Croatia: Zlatko Dalic
Age: 56 - Nationality: Croatian
Head coach since 2017, Dalic is the first coach to take charge of Croatia at more than one World Cup. The team’s first finals under the 56-year-old went pretty well: inspired by Ballon d’Or-winner-to-be Luka Modric, the Croats reached their first ever World Cup final at Russia 2018.
Morocco: Walid Regragui
Age: 56 - Nationality: Moroccan
Morocco qualified for Qatar 2022 under Vahid Halilhodzic, but when the Bosnian was sacked in August, Regragui was appointed to lead the Atlas Lions in Qatar. Assistant to Morocco boss Rachid Touassi 10 years ago, the 47-year-old coached Moroccan club Wydad AC to the CAF Champions League title in 2021/22.
Group G
Brazil: Tite
Age: 61 - Nationality: Brazilian
The longest-serving head coach in the history of the Brazil men’s national team, Tite has said he’ll be ending his nearly six-and-a-half-year spell as boss of the Canarinha after the World Cup. Under the 61-year-old, Brazil reached the quarter-finals at Russia 2018, and won the 2019 Copa América.
Cameroon: Rigobert Song
Age: 46 - Nationality: Cameroonian
His country’s most-capped player, legendary former Cameroon defender Rigobert Song took over as head coach of Les Lions Indomptables in February, replacing Toni Conceição after the side’s semi-final exit to Egypt in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Song, who was also caretaker boss in 2017 and 2018, had been in charge of Cameroon Under-23s.
Serbia: Dragan Stojkovic
Age: 46 - Nationality: Serbian
Stojkovic captained his country - then Yugoslavia - to the knockout stages at France 1998. Now, he is charged with leading the Eagles out of a World Cup group for the first time since they began competing as Serbia. The 57-year-old, who has previously coached Nagoya Grampus and Guangzhou R&F in Japan and China, respectively, has been Serbia boss since March 2021.
Switzerland: Murat Yakin
Age: 48 - Nationality: Swiss
For the first time in their history, the Swiss are competing at their fifth straight World Cup, having out-qualified European champions Italy under Yakin. The 48-year-old, who won 49 Switzerland caps as a player, was appointed in place of Vladimir Petkovic in August 2021.
Group H
Ghana: Otto Addo
Age: 47 - Nationality: Ghanaian
Addo, who played for Ghana at the 2006 World Cup, was appointed as the Black Stars’ head coach - initially on an interim basis - in February. Replacing Milovan Rajevac, the former midfielder took the team into their World Cup qualification playoff with Nigeria a month later, an away-goals victory securing their ticket to Qatar.
Portugal: Fernando Santos
Age: 68 - Nationality: Portuguese
This will be Santos’ third World Cup as a coach. At Brazil 2014, the veteran took Greece to the knockout stages for the first time in their history, then succeeded Paulo Bento as Portugal boss after the tournament. Two years later, he steered the Seleção to the Euro 2016 title - the country’s first major silverware - before a last-16 exit at the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
South Korea: Paulo Bento
Age: 53 - Nationality: Portuguese
Eight years since he oversaw Portugal’s group-stage elimination in Brazil, Bento is now poised to face his native country at the World Cup. The 53-year-old, who also played for the Portuguese at the 2002 finals, has been in charge of South Korea since 2018.
Uruguay: Diego Alonso
Age: 47 - Nationality: Uruguayan
Appointed in December 2021, Alonso replaced legendary Uruguay boss Óscar Tábarez, who had led the Celeste to the knockout stages at three straight World Cups. The Uruguayans were on a run of four straight qualifying defeats when Alonso took over, but won four qualifiers in four under the new boss to reach Qatar automatically.
