Louis van Gaal announces Netherlands exit: Who are the top free agent managers right now?

After the Netherlands were eliminated from the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Louis van Gaal announced his resignation as the team's head coach. He has been in command of the Oranje since the tournament ended in Euro 2020 when they were eliminated in the round of 16.

He led them to the World Cup Quarter-Finals despite some criticism of their playing style. There, they lost on penalties against Argentina in a nail-biting matchup. After the loss, Van Gaal said that it was his last game as Netherlands manager, making it his third stint in the role.

Since taking over for Frank de Boer last summer, Van Gaal led his players to a defeatless 20-game streak. His resignation comes as no great surprise, considering it was stated in April that Ronald Koeman will replace him as manager after the World Cup. Having announced then that he was battling an aggressive type of prostate cancer, the 71-year-old has decided to retire for a second time.

Top soccer coaches who are currently free agents

With his recent status as a free agent, Van Gaal joins an impressive roster of talented managers. For starters, there have so far been as many as seven coaches who lost their job after disappointing at the World Cup, including the Dutchman. He joins Mexico's Gerardo Martino, Roberto Martinez of Belgium, Otto Addo of Ghana, South Korea's Paulo Bento, Luis Enrique from Spain's national team, and Tite of Brazil.

In the sport of soccer, there is a comical adage that there are two types of head coaches. The ones who have been fired from their positions are included in the first set, while coaches who are expecting to be fired make up the second. This idiom, as humorous as it may be, highlights the fickle nature of managerial tenure.

Thus, despite the fact that the 2022-23 season is halfway through, several renowned managers are yet to appear on the sidelines in Europe. It's possible that some people are hanging around in the TV studio, while others are patiently waiting for a job offer. Take a look at some of the best out-of-work soccer coaches who are available at the moment: