The 9 coaches who actually played in a World Cup
Theres no better way for a coach to know what a player will feel when they step on the field in Brazil than to have…
Theres no better way for a coach to know what a player will feel when they step on the field in Brazil than to have been in that situation themselves.
While theres no golden rule that equates having been a great player to becoming a great coach, heres the list of 9 coaches who have suited up for their home country in a World Cup before:
1. Jurgen Klinsmann:
U.S. men’s soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann, left, and World Cup team captain Clint Dempsey answer questions during a news conference, in New York, Friday, May 30, 2014. The U.S. World Cup team is holding a pep rally in Times Square leading to Sunday’s exhibition against Turkey, the second of three warmup matches for the Americans before next month’s tournament in Brazil. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The most successful coach, as a player, to partake in World Cup action. Klinsmann played the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups with Germany, scoring 11 goals, trailing only Gerd Muller, Miroslav Klose and tied with Rudi Voller as Germanys third top goal scorer in history.
The German was key in his teams victory in 1990, when he scored three goals and had a near perfect match against Holland. Now, he will try to manage the USMNT into a successful run in Brazil.
2. Didier Deschamps:
The French captain when Les Bleus lifted the 1998 trophy. The bad luck on Frances Generation X did not allow him to have a longer World Cup run, as he missed out on 1990 and 1994, and he said good-bye to the National Team after winning the Euro 2000.
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Having had no luck with Laurent Blanc as a manager in the last Euro, French fans are really hoping Deschamps fighting spirit as a player will translate to the team during the upcoming World Cup.
3. Fabio Capello:
Fabio Capello, coach of Russia’s national team, arrives at the Sao Paulo International airport, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2014. Russia’s national soccer team arrived in Sao Paulo and will travel to Itu to continue their preparations for the upcoming Brazil 2014 World Cup, which starts on June 12. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine)
Believe or not, Fabio Capello was a quite offensive minded player. You wouldnt be able to tell seeing his coaching style nowadays, but that actually hurt him as he missed out on the 1978 World Cup because the manager gave his spot to Mario Tardelli. However, he did play in 1974 and even scored against Poland.
4. Paulo Bento:
He made it just in time to the 2002 World Cup, after Portugal failed to qualify to the 1998 tournament while Bento was in his prime. The Portuguese had a terrible performance not making it to the second round in a group with South Korea, Poland and the US.
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He was a disciplined yet skilled defender, and has built a Portuguese squad to his image for this summer tournament.
5. Safet Susic:
Bosnia national team coach Safet Susic answers journalists’ questions during a training session at a stadium in the Sarajevo suburb of Hrasnica, Bosnia on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. Bosnia will play Liechtenstein in their World Cup Group G qualifier on Friday in the Bosnian town of Zenica. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
Voted the best player in PSGs history, over super stars like Weah, Ronaldinho or Rai. The Bosnian has made it possible for his team to become the only country making a debut in this upcoming World Cup.
However, Susic did play in the 1982 and the 1990 World Cups with Yugoslavia, and three years later after his last callup with the former Soviet Republic, he played one symbolic match with the newly formed team of Bosnia.
6. Marc Wilmots:
Without making much noise in the global stage, Marc Wilmots became one of Belgiums top historic players. He was part of four World Cup teams (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) and played in the last three, as he didnt get a single minute in Italy.
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Wilmots scored five goals in the last two World Cups he played and became the top scorer for Belgium in the best tournament.
7. Nico Kovac:
Croatia head coach Nico Kovac answers journalists’ questions after the draw ceremony for the 2014 soccer World Cup in Costa do Sauipe near Salvador, Brazil, Friday, Dec. 6, 2013. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
The Croatian manager is a hero in his country and he was part of the group that surprised everyone in 1998, although he missed the final tournament due to an injury. Kovac would then go on to play the 2002 and 2006 tournaments, the latter one as team captain, and even get to play with his younger brother, Robert Kovac, who is now his assistant coach in the National Team.
8. Hong Myung Bo:
The historic South Korean sweeper lead the National Team on the field in 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002. He never saw his team get past the first round in the first three World Cups, although he scored in the still-remembered tie against Spain the 1994 World Cup, and also in the 3-2 defeat against Germany.
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In 2002, he scored the definitive penalty against Spain in the quarterfinals, to get South Korea to an unimagined position in a World Cup: fourth, and precisely the year they co-hosted the tournament.
9. Stephen Keshi:
Nigeria’s team coach Stephen Keshi arrives for the international friendly soccer match between Nigeria and Scotland at Craven Cottage Stadium in London, Wednesday, May 28, 2014. Nigeria will be in Group F in the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Nigerias National Team manager was part of the team that got to the second round of World Cup 1994, in a team with stars like Yekini, Rufai, Amunike, Oliseh, and Okocha, beating Argentina in the group, and being only two minutes away from knocking out eventual finalist Italy off of the round of 16.
