All instances when countries sacked their manager during FIFA World Cup

Only five managers have been sacked during the tournament in the history of the FIFA World Cup so far.

Managers being sacked during an ongoing FIFA World Cup is a rare sight. Players, managers, and boards are all already under pressure due to the tournament, and it is a stage that can make one a global hero or a national embarrassment overnight.

The stories of many football players, teams, and managers often become fairy tales, while at other times they become nightmares.

Thus, in the context of managers, let’s look at instances when countries sacked their managers during the FIFA World Cup.

List of Instances when Countries Sacked Their Managers during the FIFA World Cup

Andy Beattie (1954): Scotland

Andy Beattie is the first name on the list. Beattie wasn’t sacked by the Scottish FA; he resigned after the board only allowed him to name a 13-man squad for their debut at the 1954 World Cup. In the tournament, they lost to Austria 1-0 before being hammered by Uruguay, two-time World Cup champions.

Carlos Alberto (1998): Saudi Arabia

Carlos Alberto lost his job after Saudi Arabia lost to France in their second group-stage game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Saudi Arabia started their campaign with a 1-0 loss to Denmark, but Alberto, who managed at five different World Cups, lost his job in the second. Without him, Saudi Arabia drew 2-2 against South Africa.

Also Read: FIFA World Cup 2026 Full Fixtures, Schedule, Results, Match Timings & Where to Watch

Cha Bum-kun (1998): South Korea

Back in 1998, South Korea did not hold the title of Asian heavyweight and was passionately seeking its first win in the coveted competition. Thus, after conceding eight goals in just two group-stage matches against Mexico and the Netherlands, the South Korean football board decided to sack former attacker Cha Bam-kum from his managerial duties.

Cha Bam-kum later criticised the South Korean board, but the protests resulted in a five-year ban for the former attacker. Kim Pyeong-seok was quickly given the opportunity to manage the side as they played a 1-1 draw against Belgium.

Henryk Kasperczak (1998): Tunisia

The FIFA World Cup 1998 saw three managers lose their jobs, and it is an infamous record expected to persist in upcoming editions. Interestingly, Henryk Kasperczak was the first manager sacked by Tunisia during a World Cup campaign. With two losses in their initial two fixtures, they were quickly out of the tournament. Thus, Tunisia decided to relieve Henryk Kasperczak from his duty.

Sabri Lamouchi (2026): Tunisia

The latest name in the list is Sabri Lamouchi. Tunisia has also become the first team in World Cup history to sack two managers. Sabri Lamouchi was quickly sacked by Tunisia after a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match of the 2026 edition. Hervé Renard has been called in by the board for the remaining games.

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