Why Tuchel, Ancelotti And Super Coaches Struggled At The World Cup

Maybe the World Cup was simply too much for Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti to take.

When they and fellow club coaches Mauricio Pochettino and Julian Nagelsmann lined up in the dugouts ahead of this summer’s tournament, it looked like 2026 would herald a shift in the profile of international bosses.

Yet as international specialists Luis de la Fuente and Lionel Scaloni – neither of who has managed a single top-flight league game – prepare to lead Spain and Argentina into Sunday’s final, their more illustrious counterparts have each exited in less-than-auspicious circumstances.

Ancelotti was berated as Brazil lost to Norway in the last 16. Nagelsmann resigned after Germany were dumped out by Paraguay a round earlier. Even England boss Thomas Tuchel was on the receiving end of widespread vitriol for his overly defensive tactics as the Three Lions surrendered the lead to lose their semi-final with Argentina.

Only Pochettino can claim to have come out of the tournament with any sort of credit, yet the US lost meekly to Belgium in their first match against one of international football's bigger nations.

But why did a troupe of coaches who’d won major trophies with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Chelsea and a host of other top clubs struggle to make a positive impact on the World Cup?

The simple answer is to point at the deficiencies in their teams, although the nature of international football is that almost every side has more obvious weaknesses than club teams, who enter the transfer market to address key personnel issues.

What makes a World Cup so different?

But it’s quickly coping with those problems to create a team worthy of major tournament glory that sets coaches apart in the international arena. The tactics may not be as intricate, the moves less well-rehearsed and technique not as high as the top club competitions, but winning at a World Cup takes no less skill and nous.

The so-called super coaches from the club game are used to having more control and more contact time with their players, where they can drill ideas day after day and often play two matches per week to foster familiarity – both with systems and team-mates.

To come from that into a world where communication time is tight is difficult to adapt to. It’s why for Ancelotti and Tuchel, in particular, they will have felt like they were still finding new ways to get the most out of their teams during this World Cup, despite having been in charge for a year and 18 months respectively.

In fact, that goes some way to explaining Tuchel’s comments after England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina when he blamed his adopted nation’s “DNA” and lack of “structure” rather than accepting his own decision-making because he didn’t yet have the faith in his charges to hold out against Argentina without dropping back into ultra-defensive mode.

But it’s that skill that sets the international specialists apart from the club wannabes. They have used every available moment they can with their players to build an ethos and tactical message that can be easily applied when needed.

Instead, Tuchel gave up the last pre-World Cup international break to play fringe players in friendlies with Uruguay and Japan rather than use it to build partnerships or ways of playing. He was left shuffling England’s backline to find the best combinations during the tournament, much in the same way that Ancelotti did with Brazil’s full backs and midfield at regular intervals.

Adaptability is an important attribute for any coach, but the lack of complete clarity is shown up in blood-and-thunder knockout games when things begin to unravel. Pochettino, albeit with a less-gifted group, couldn’t muster any fight as the US struggled against Belgium, while Nagelsmann couldn’t pick apart a stubborn Paraguay backline when Plan A failed.

Where these coaches may have shown their ability to find a way with their clubs previously, the Champions League, for example, offers time between legs to work on tactical plans to win. The World Cup is relentless, with one-off contests coming thick and fast as the tournament reaches its climax.

Ultimately, there is no substitute for experience. And the big names have found that out the hard way, needing the understanding – both on and off the pitch – to negotiate a gruelling tournament and all of the unique challenges that throws up.

What makes a successful international coach?

Being a successful club coach is a great indicator for being able to become a victorious international boss and there are plenty of transferable skills, but it takes more than that.

Take Scaloni and De la Fuente, who cut their teeth within their federations before taking on the national team jobs. Scaloni had served as an assistant under Argentina predecessor Jorge Sampaoli before getting the gig, while De la Fuente took charge of Spain’s under-19, under-21 and Olympic sides first.

Those formative experiences shaped their approach when they had their chance, learning what worked and what didn’t to get the most from their side. That continuity and understanding help, just as it has across Didier Deschamps’ long tenure with France when it took six years for him to win his first international trophy as coach, despite having an incredibly talented squad.

Those lessons take longer to learn, requiring patience and know-how to fully get to grips with what’s needed to win over a long period of time. At international level, reputation and tactical pedigree will only go so far and Tuchel, Ancelotti and other club super coaches must get to grips with their new environment if they want to replicate their success on the international stage.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com