Belgium and England eliminate US, reach World Cup quarter-finals with foreign coaches

England, under German Thomas Tuchel, and Belgium, coached by Frenchman Rudi Garcia, have advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. For the first time since 1978, two foreign managers are at this stage of the tournament.

Scraper SystemJuly 09, 2026, 10:45 AM

Belgium and England eliminate US, reach World Cup quarter-finals with foreign coaches

The 2026 World Cup shows that foreign managers have become a common choice for national teams. While 27 teams started the tournament with foreign coaches, only England and Belgium among the eight quarter-finalists have foreign names at the helm. England, under German Thomas Tuchel, and Belgium, coached by Frenchman Rudi Garcia, have become the first foreign managers to reach this stage since 1978.

Belgium eliminates host USA to advance

Belgium continues its tradition of foreign coaches. The Red Devils, who achieved their best-ever finish (third place) in 2018 under Spaniard Roberto Martinez, have now turned a new page with Frenchman Rudi Garcia. Garcia's charges defeated host USA by a clear 4-1 scoreline to reach the quarter-finals and will now face Spain.

England's Tuchel era

England, having previously failed to achieve the desired success with Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, turned a new page by appointing German Thomas Tuchel on the foundation built by Gareth Southgate. Tuchel guided the 'Three Lions' to the quarter-finals by eliminating the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mexico. England's opponent will be Norway, who pulled off a major surprise by knocking out Brazil in the round of 16.

Brazil's Ancelotti plan

Meanwhile, Brazil took a historic step by appointing Italian Carlo Ancelotti. However, the five-time world champion 'Seleção' has yet to make the expected breakthrough under Ancelotti. Despite this, the Brazilian Football Confederation extended Ancelotti's contract until the next World Cup before the tournament, showing its confidence in the project.

National pride and changing attitudes

According to writer Simon Kuper, the belief that a national team coach should be local is closely tied to notions of national pride and authenticity. Kuper told Reuters, 'The World Cup is not just about winning as many matches as possible; it's also about showcasing your country's football culture. That extends to the manager himself.' He noted that many people view opting for a foreign coach as 'akin to cheating' or an 'unoriginal' approach.

Globalization's impact on football style

However, globalization has brought football styles closer together. Kuper said that one can now speak of an 'international style' based on intense physical effort, positional interchange and organized team play. Emphasizing that major federations become more open to the foreign coach option when traditional methods fail to bring success, Kuper said, 'As England did first with Eriksson and then with Capello, it is an admission that the existing model is no longer working.' He added that such decisions are easier to make especially in times of crisis, but that in the end most people accept the change.

The 2026 World Cup will not only determine a champion; it will also shape the future of one of football's most deep-rooted traditions: Should the national team be entrusted only to its own sons, or should success be the sole criterion?

Belgium and England eliminate US, reach World Cup quarter-finals with foreign coaches