It is well known that managing a National Team is very different from managing a club. The work time is drastically reduced and the demand for results increases, as it is believed that having the best players in the country at your disposal makes the job easier. The managers who will be in charge at Qatar 2022 will not have it easy. As Vahid Halilhodzichas shown: he was sacked from the Moroccan National Team with only four months to face the FIFA World Cup.
Therefore, preparing a National Team to face a tournament like the FIFA World Cup is not only the most exciting experience for any manager, it is also the most demanding because of all the hopes that are at stake in that tournament.
It has already been pointed out that the 8 National Teams that have been champions in the history of the FIFA World Cup achieved it with managers of the same nationality, but now it is necessary to point out which teams have the most and the least work time, since this could condition their results in Qatar 2022.
Managers with the longest tenure at Qatar 2022
*Time at the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup (November 2022)
France – Didier Deschamps -10years, 4months
Deschamps is not only the coach of the current FIFA World Cup Champion, France, and one of only 3 individuals to have won this tournament as both player and coach (Mario Zagallo/Brazil, Franz Beckenbauer/Argentina), he is also the longest-serving manager to participate in Qatar 2022, having taken up his post in July 2012.
Portugal – Fernando Santos – 8 years2 months
Santos is Portugal’s longest-serving coach when active years are taken into account (as Candido de Oliveira held the post for 10 years, with World War II ongoing), and it was enough for him to give Portugal its greatest joy: the European Cup won in 2016. It seeks in Qatar 2022 to match what it achieved in England 66 (third place) or Germany 06 (fourth place).
Senegal – Aliou Cissé- 7 years8 months
Once again, another historic event. Cissé played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan, the first in Senegal’s history. And having taken over in March 2015, he is the longest-serving coach to lead the Lions of Teranga. Qatar 2022 will be his second World Cup in charge, having coached at Russia 2018. He was already able to give Senegal a precious trophy: the 2021 African Cup.
Brazil – Tité – 6 years5 months
The turbulence felt on the bench of the five-time world champions was halted with the presence of Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, who is already the longest-serving coach in the position ahead of legends such as Mario Zagallo or Vicente Feola. After winning the 2019 Copa America, he will look to give the Canarinha their sixth World Cup in Qatar 2022.
Belgium – Roberto Martínez – 6 years 3 months
The 49-year-old Spanish coach is very clear, he owes the Red Devils a debt of gratitude: he must deliver a FIFA World Cup-sized success, having coached the best generation of players in their history. After finishing third at Russia 2018, there is only one option at Qatar 2022: the championship.
Managers with the shortest tenure at Qatar 2022
*Time at the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup (November 2022)
Morocco- Vacant- less than 4months
Vahid Halilhodzic was removed from his position as Morocco manager with just over 3 months to go before the upcoming FIFA World Cup. That means that the coach who takes his place will have minimal time to work with the Atlas Lions to get them ready for Qatar 2022.
Wales -Rob Page – 5 months
Fate hates Ryan Giggs, as after never being able to play in the FIFA World Cup, despite being one of the best players in the world in his playing days, everything pointed to him playing as a manager in Qatar 2022. But legal problems made him leave the position, which led to the hiring of Rob Pages, who was assistant to the former player and Manchester United legend.
Cameroon – Rigobert Song – 8 months
Only Francois Omam-Biyik and Roger Milla have played more World Cup matches for Cameroon than Rigobert Song (USA 1994, France 1998, Korea-Japan 2002, South Africa 2010). After Toni Conceicao’s dismissal, he took the reins of his National Team, his first experience as a manager.
Ghana – Otto Addo – 9 months
He was a FIFA World Cup? finalist at the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006, the first in Ghana’s history. Once retired, he was an assistant and scout at club level until he became assistant to his National Team, only to take the main manager position 5 months later and qualify for Qatar 2022 at the expense of Nigeria.
Poland – Czeslaw Michniewicz – 10 months
After Paulo Sousa decided to leave the Poland National Team to take over Flamengo of Brazil, he has been tapped as the new manager of The Eagles. He has extensive experience in Polish clubs and in the U21 National Team, which he hopes to put to good use in Qatar 2022, his first big stage as coach.
Tunisia – Jalel Kadri -10 months
After replacing then coach Mondher Kebaier at the 2021 African Cup, due to suffering Covid-19, he gained a following and ended up taking over the manager’s position after the latter’s final dismissal in January 2022. He has multiple experiences at club and U20 level in Tunisia.