The 2026 World Cup has come to an end, but international football has already turned the page and begins to focus on the next World Cup cycle. With the conclusion of the tournament held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, major federations have rushed to make changes in coaching leadership, launching new projects with their sights set on Euro 2028 and, above all, the 2030 World Cup.

Among the prominent national teams that have already changed coaches are France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, and Mexico. This movement brings together renowned names such as Zinedine Zidane, Jürgen Klopp, and Roberto Mancini, as well as professionals who have earned their place in recent years, like Mark van Bommel and Rafa Márquez.

The scenario is one of renewal at different levels. While some federations are betting on coaches with a wealth of experience to recover or maintain their leadership, others have opted for continuity on projects initiated before the 2026 World Cup. Check out the X-ray of the new commanders and the challenges each national team faces ahead.

Italy: Roberto Mancini

Italy also turned to a familiar name in an attempt to rebuild its path. Roberto Mancini returns to the helm of the Azzurra, having already coached the team between 2018 and 2023.

READ MORE: Roberto Mancini returns as Italy manager

The coach left the Italian national team in August 2023 and later worked with Saudi Arabia. His return comes at a delicate moment for Italian football, which missed out on the 2018, 2022, and 2026 World Cups.

Mancini therefore knows the national team environment intimately and is back with the mission to get Italy back on track towards the World Cup. The key objective for the new cycle will be to restore competitiveness and prepare a team capable of overcoming the challenges that impacted recent qualifying campaigns.

The choice also carries symbolic weight. It was under Mancini’s leadership that Italy won Euro 2020, played in 2021, overcoming England in the final at Wembley.

Germany: Jürgen Klopp

In Germany, all eyes are on one of the most well-known coaches in European football over the last decade. Jürgen Klopp was unveiled as Julian Nagelsmann’s successor, signing a four-year contract with the German Football Association.

READ MORE: Jürgen Klopp announced as Germany coach: can he take the team higher?

The deal runs through 2030 and covers both Euro 2028 and the next World Cup. Klopp will officially take the job on August 15, 2026, after a stint with Red Bull, where he worked as global head of football.

Before that, the German built an impressive trajectory at Liverpool. After leaving the English club in May 2024, having spent nearly nine years in charge, Klopp worked behind the scenes in football before accepting the challenge of leading his country’s national team.

Now, the coach will be tasked with rebuilding the Mannschaft and restoring stability to a team that has endured a period of below-par results in major tournaments. Known for high-intensity football and gegenpressing, Klopp’s project kicks off with Nations League matches in September and October (see dates above).

Portugal: Jorge Jesus

Portugal also opened a new era after the 2026 World Cup. Jorge Jesus was chosen to replace Roberto Martínez and, for the first time in his career, will have the opportunity to manage a national team.

At 71, the coach takes on the role after a club coaching career spanning more than three decades. His résumé includes memorable spells at Benfica, Sporting, Flamengo, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr.

Most recently, he was at Al-Nassr, where he managed Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix and led the club to the Saudi League title, ending a seven-year wait for the national championship.

In Portugal, Jorge Jesus will have at his disposal a generation brimming with top-level players. Names such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and Rafael Leão stand out among the team’s main references, while Cristiano Ronaldo remains one of the great figures of Portuguese football.

The coach’s targets include Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup, which will also be hosted in Portugal, as well as Spain and Morocco. The expectation is that his experience across different markets and his track record of winning titles will be used to give the national team a new identity.

France: Zinedine Zidane

France kicked off one of the most eagerly anticipated chapters in the coaches’ market. After the end of Didier Deschamps’ era — a 14-year spell in charge of the national team — the French Football Federation made official the appointment of Zinedine Zidane as head coach.

READ MORE: Zidane takes over France and seeks rare achievement among coaches

The agreement lasts four years and takes the former midfielder through to the 2030 World Cup. Zidane had been away from football since the end of his second stint at Real Madrid, in 2021, a period in which he achieved tremendous success at the Spanish club.

In Madrid, the Frenchman won three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, as well as two Spanish leagues and other trophies. Now, more than two decades after hanging up his boots, he is taking charge of the French national team for the first time.

Zidane’s arrival also marks a change in profile on the bench. He will have a generation led by Kylian Mbappé at his disposal, and his initial commitments include the Nations League. His debut is scheduled for the second half of 2026, already within the new cycle.

Belgium: Mark van Bommel

Belgium opted for a change of leadership after the World Cup. Mark van Bommel was named as Rudi Garcia’s replacement, signing a contract through to Euro 2028.

The Dutchman had been without a club since 2024 and returns to work in Belgium, the country where he enjoyed the highlight of his coaching career. At Royal Antwerp, van Bommel won the Belgian League and Belgian Cup in the 2022/23 season, assembling a team that managed to break the hegemony of the nation’s main clubs.

As a player, the former midfielder also built an impressive career. He played for clubs like PSV, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Milan, as well as featuring in two World Cups for the Netherlands national team.

For the Belgian national team, his contract initially covers the cycle through Euro 2028. His first major challenge will be to build on the work after a World Cup where the Red Devils reached the quarterfinals, losing to Spain, who subsequently claimed the world title.

Mexico: Rafa Márquez

Mexico chose a different approach. Instead of seeking a name from abroad, the Mexican Football Federation promoted Rafa Márquez, who was already part of Javier Aguirre’s coaching staff.

The decision had been part of the federation’s plans since 2024. Márquez was hired at that time to serve as Aguirre’s assistant and take part in a transition project that envisaged him stepping up to coach the national team after the 2026 World Cup.

With Mexico eliminated in the round of 16 of the World Cup by England, the former defender was officially promoted to head coach. The aim now is to continue the sporting project envisioned by the federation for the 2030 cycle.

Márquez had already started his managerial career at Barcelona Atlètic before returning to Mexican football. As a player, he was one of the greatest in the country’s history, playing in five World Cups and building a stellar European career, most notably with Barcelona.

The promotion therefore amounts to a planned transition. Rather than starting an entirely new project, the Mexican federation is banking on a professional familiar with the previous cycle and well-acquainted with the national team structure.

September FIFA Dates Mark the New Beginnings

The debut — or in some cases, “re-debut” — of these names will take place in the next FIFA match window in 2026, running from September 21 to October 6.

The changes show how the end of a World Cup usually accelerates the market for national teams. While clubs focus on transfers for the new season, federations are working on assembling projects with Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup as their main milestones.

And on Sofascore, you’ll follow every detail of these new coaches’ work.