Record for oldest World Cup manager broken three times in four days
Hugo Broos, Miroslav Koubek, and Dick Advocaat sequentially claim the title, highlighting the depth of experience in the 2026 tournament management ranks.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has witnessed a rapid succession of records regarding the oldest managers in tournament history, with the title changing hands three times within a four-day period. South Africa coach Hugo Broos, aged 74, initially claimed the distinction when his side opened the tournament against Mexico. The record was overturned five hours later by Czechia manager Miroslav Koubek, who is also 74 but slightly older than Broos, and is set to be surpassed again on Sunday by Curaçao coach Dick Advocaat, aged 78.
Broos, born on 10 April 1952, broke a record that had stood for 16 years when Greece’s Otto Rehhagel became the oldest manager in tournament history in 2010 at the age of 71. Prior to Rehhagel, Paraguay’s Cesare Maldini held the record at 70 during the 2002 World Cup. The rapid turnover of this specific metric underscores the unusual convergence of senior management figures in the current tournament.
Koubek, who turns 75 in September, was appointed Czechia’s manager in December 2025 following a long club managerial career that followed his playing days as a goalkeeper. While he held the record for a longer duration than Broos, his tenure as the oldest manager is also temporary. The Czechs faced South Korea shortly after South Africa’s opening match, cementing Koubek’s brief hold on the title.
The record will be surpassed again on Sunday when Curaçao plays Germany. Dick Advocaat, who was appointed Curaçao’s coach in 2024 and officially qualified for the World Cup in November 2025, is 78 years old. His path to the tournament was marked by administrative and personal challenges, including a brief departure in February due to his daughter’s health issues.
Advocaat stepped down in February, with assistant coach Fred Rutten taking over temporarily. However, Advocaat returned to the role in May after his daughter’s health improved, following pressure from players and a team sponsor who threatened to withdraw funding if Rutten remained. A manager since 1980, Advocaat has coached eight countries, including the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, Serbia, Iraq, and Curaçao, alongside significant club stints at Rangers, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Sunderland, and Feyenoord.
