8 current club managers we’d love to see at the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup is only one year away and we’ve picked out eight club managers who we’d absolutely love to see at the tournament.
There are a number of factors that differentiate club from international football and plenty of top domestic managers have struggled to have the same impact on the international stage.
Football is all about characters though and that’s especially applicable when it comes to international football. With that in mind, we’ve picked out eight club managers who we’d love to see take charge of a side at the 2026 World Cup.
Carlo Ancelotti
Having already won everything at club level, Ancelotti will surely fancy his chances of doing the same on the international stage.
It’s recently been announced that the Italian boss will leave Real Madrid after their Copa del Rey final later this month, so he’s set to become available.
He started his managerial career working as Arrigo Sacchi’s assistant for Italy, so he already has a taste of what international football is all about.
The Real Madrid boss was heavily linked with the Brazil job last year, but he ultimately decided to extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu instead.
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho is made for international football. From his tactical nouse and tournament experience to his box-office interviews and fiery personality, he’d have a field day managing at the World Cup.
Sure, he’s currently with Fenerbahce, but given the Special One never tends to stick around in one place for long, we reckon he’ll be back on the market in time for 2026.
He’s previously stated his desire to go into international football at some point in his career and what better moment than the 2026 World Cup?
“I want to compete in new competitions,” Mourinho said in 2019. “I think about the World Cup and the European Championships. For a long time I have had the desire to try out such an adventure.”
Pep Guardiola
Given that Guardiola is under contract with Man City until 2027, it seems unlikely that he’ll be managing an international team in 2026, but let us dream.
When asked what’s left to accomplish in his career, Guardiola told reporters: “A national team. I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.”
The thought of Pep overthinking a round of 16 tie against Costa Rica already has our spines tingling. We simply have to see him in an international dugout at some stage.
Gennaro Gattuso
International football is all about personality and there aren’t many people in world football with more of that than Gattuso.
Since starting his managerial career in 2013, he’s already managed nine different clubs and come 2026, that list will undoubtedly grow some more.
Having been part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup winning squad, he knows what it takes to win the most prestigious prize in football.
READ NEXT: The 16 stadiums that will host 2026 World Cup matches: New York, LA…
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every country to compete at a FIFA World Cup?
Diego Simeone
Alright, it’s hard to see Simeone leaving Atletico Madrid any time soon, but if he does, we’d absolutely love to see him on the international stage.
The ultimate midfield warrior for Argentina back in the day, he’d have his players running through brick walls to lift the World Cup.
Sean Dyche
When it comes to international football, Dyche-ball is a proven winning formula. International tournaments aren’t about sexy football and we reckon the former Everton boss could thrive in that sort of environment.
READ: 13 countries that’d make better World Cup hosts than Saudi Arabia
Antonio Conte
Conte managed Italy for two years but never got the chance to manage his nation at the World Cup. That’s something we simply have to see at some point in time.
He was box-office viewing at Euro 2016 and he’s the sort of character you simply cannot ignore when they’re in the opposition dugout. His full focus will be on Napoli for the time being, but we hope to see him return to international football one day.
Jurgen Klopp
Having stepped away from Liverpool last year, Klopp is currently taking a sabbatical from management to recharge his batteries.
He’ll surely be ready to throw his hat back into the ring in 2026 and the thought of Klopp managing on the international stage does get us excited.