Bafana Bafana’s Hugo Broos is on track to make history. By the time the
next FIFA World Cup kicks off in June, the South African head coach will
be 74 years old, set to become the oldest manager ever to lead a team in
the tournament’s storied history.
In anticipation of this milestone, here are the seven oldest coaches in
World Cup history:
7. Fernando Santos (68 years, 45 days) – Portugal, 2022
The man who led Portugal to glory at Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations
League saw his eight-year reign end after his team, captained by Cristiano
Ronaldo, suffered a shock quarter-final exit to Morocco.
6. Jose Pekerman (68 years, 303 days) – Colombia, 2018
During his six-year tenure, Pekerman guided Colombia to the quarter-finals
in 2014. He was still at the helm four years later when they were
eliminated in the round of 16 in Russia.
5. Carlos Queiroz (69 years, 259 days) – Iran, 2022
Queiroz’s Iran faced a daunting group in 2022 against Spain, Portugal, and
Morocco. They narrowly missed advancing, finishing with four points after
a win against Morocco, a loss to Spain, and a draw with Portugal.
4. Cesare Maldini (70 years, 130 days) – Paraguay, 2002
The defensively-minded Maldini led Paraguay to the round of 16 in 2002,
where they were narrowly defeated 1-0 by Germany. His team had previously
advanced from a group containing South Africa, Spain, and Slovenia.
3. Louis van Gaal (71 years, 109 days) – Netherlands, 2022
A perennial favourite, the Netherlands under Van Gaal were eliminated by
eventual champions Argentina in a dramatic quarter-final, losing on
penalties after a 2-2 draw in extra time.
2. Oscar Tabarez (71 years, 125 days) – Uruguay, 2018
“El Maestro,” one of the longest-serving national team coaches in history,
led Uruguay for 15 years in his second spell. He guided them to a
semi-final finish in 2010 and the quarter-finals in 2018, in addition to
winning the 2011 Copa America.
1. Otto Rehhagel (71 years, 317 days) – Greece, 2010
The legendary German coach, who masterminded Greece’s stunning Euro 2004
triumph, was still in charge when the team qualified for the 2010 World
Cup. However, they could not replicate their past success, finishing at
the bottom of their group after losing all three matches to Argentina,
Nigeria, and South Korea.
