Across 23 World Cups, including the 2026 tournament, football's biggest stage has witnessed many unique milestones. Mario Gotze scored the decisive goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final after coming on as a substitute. Roger Milla scored at 42 years old in the 1994 World Cup. Brothers Jerome Boateng and Kevin-Prince Boateng faced each other in the 2010 World Cup. Luis Monti remains the only player to feature in two World Cup finals with two different national teams: Argentina in 1930 and Italy in 1934.

However, one milestone remains unbroken: no foreign coach has ever led a national team of a different nationality to win the coveted trophy.

Coach Alberto Suppici led his home country, Uruguay, to become the first World Cup champions in 1930. Photo: FIFA

Coach Alberto Suppici led his home country, Uruguay, to become the first World Cup champions in 1930. Photo: FIFA

The first World Cup in 1930 saw Uruguay triumph on home soil under the guidance of native coach Alberto Suppici. In the subsequent two tournaments, 1934 and 1938, Italian coach Vittorio Pozzo led his national team to consecutive victories. This also marked the only time in World Cup history that a coach won two consecutive championships.

After World War II, which led to the cancellation of the 1942 and 1946 tournaments, this trend continued. Uruguay won in 1950 with Juan Lopez Fontana, West Germany triumphed in 1954 under Sepp Herberger, and Brazil began its golden era with Vicente Feola in 1958 and Aymore Moreira in 1962. In 1966, Alf Ramsey led England to their only World Cup title, before Brazil continued its dominance in 1970 with coach Mario Zagallo.

Between 1974 and 1990, European and South American teams continued to win with native coaches. West Germany won in 1974 with Helmut Schon, Argentina secured two titles in 1978 and 1986 under Cesar Luis Menotti and Carlos Bilardo. Italy claimed victory in 1982 with Enzo Bearzot, and West Germany returned to the top in 1990 with Franz Beckenbauer.

Entering the modern era, this pattern has remained unchanged. Brazil won in 1994 with Carlos Alberto Parreira. France secured its first title in 1998 thanks to Aime Jacquet, Brazil won its fifth title in 2002 under Luiz Felipe Scolari, and Italy claimed the championship in 2006 with Marcello Lippi. Vicente del Bosque led Spain to victory in 2010, Joachim Low guided Germany to triumph in 2014, Didier Deschamps led France to the top in 2018, and Lionel Scaloni guided Argentina to glory in 2022.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni touches the golden trophy after winning against France in the World Cup 2022 final at Lusail Stadium, Doha, Qatar on 18/12/2022. Photo: AFP

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni touches the golden trophy after winning against France in the World Cup 2022 final at Lusail Stadium, Doha, Qatar on 18/12/2022. Photo: AFP

Two foreign coaches came close to the golden trophy. In 1958, English coach George Raynor led Sweden to the World Cup final on home soil but lost to Pele's Brazil. Two decades later, Austrian coach Ernst Happel guided the Netherlands to the 1978 final before losing to Argentina.

At the 2002 World Cup, Guus Hiddink (Dutch) became an icon by leading South Korea to the semifinals, the best achievement by an Asian team in the tournament. Four years later, Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazilian) helped Portugal reach the final four, before Roberto Martinez (Spanish) replicated this feat with Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup was considered the biggest opportunity for history to change. As the tournament expanded to 48 teams for the first time, the globalization of coaching was more evident than ever. Among the participating teams, 26 were led by foreign coaches, accounting for over 54%. This figure represented a 26% increase compared to the 2022 World Cup, demonstrating a growing willingness among football federations to trust strategists of different nationalities.

Notably, out of the 26 teams utilizing foreign coaches, 10 were ranked in the top 25 of the FIFA rankings. This list included many title contenders or teams capable of major upsets. This reflected the reality that in modern football, tactical ability, international experience, and club-level achievements are sometimes valued more than nationality.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti reacts during Brazil's 1-2 loss to Norway in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US on 5/7. Photo: AFP

Coach Carlo Ancelotti reacts during Brazil's 1-2 loss to Norway in the World Cup 2026 round of 16 at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US on 5/7. Photo: AFP

However, the World Cup 2026 once again showed that the golden trophy remains a unique challenge for foreign coaches. Carlo Ancelotti garnered significant attention when he took charge of Brazil, a five-time world champion team. The Italian coach brought a vast record, including five Champions League titles and championships in all five top European national leagues.

Ancelotti's arrival marked a major shift in Brazil's mindset, as the Brazilian Football Confederation placed its trust in a foreign coach for the first time. Despite his experience and club-level achievements, which are among the best in history, he could not lead the "Selecao" back to World Cup glory, as they suffered a 1-2 defeat to Norway in the round of 16.

In Belgium, Rudi Garcia also faced a difficult task, taking over a generation of players with high expectations but no major titles. The French coach had experience working with many European clubs, but it was not enough to make a difference in a demanding competition like the World Cup. Belgium continued its struggle, losing 1-2 to Spain in the quarterfinals.

Coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during England's 1-2 loss to Argentina in the World Cup 2026 semifinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, US on 15/7. Photo: AP

Coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during England's 1-2 loss to Argentina in the World Cup 2026 semifinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, US on 15/7. Photo: AP

Thomas Tuchel was also appointed by the English Football Association with the goal of winning the 2026 World Cup. The German coach had previously won the Champions League with Chelsea and was regarded as a world-class tactical coach. However, that dream did not materialize as England lost 1-2 to Argentina in the semifinals. This defeat meant that the 2026 World Cup continued to "turn its back" on foreign coaches.

This made the World Cup 2026 final a landmark affirming a reality that has lasted for nearly a century. The golden trophy will certainly belong to a team led by a coach of the same nationality. On one side is Lionel Scaloni's Argentina, a coach born in Argentina who led the South American team to the 2022 championship. On the other side is Luis de la Fuente's Spain, a Spanish coach aiming for further glory after winning Euro 2024.

After 96 years, the World Cup maintains a unique rule: the world champion is always led by a native coach. Club football has seen coaches conquer every tournament worldwide, but on the biggest stage for national teams, the element of national identity still plays a decisive role.

Hong Duy compiled