Rudi Garcia to Leave Belgian National Team After World Cup

Rudi Garcia, the head coach of the Belgian national football team, will depart from his role at the end of July 2023, as the Belgian Football Association has agreed not to renew his contract. This announcement was made on Monday after Belgium's quarter-final exit at the 2026 World Cup, where they lost to Spain.

Garcia faced heavy criticism from the Belgian media during the tournament, particularly after a lackluster performance in the group stage, where Belgium drew against Egypt and Iran. His tactics were questioned, and a controversial VAR penalty decision in the last minute of extra time allowed Belgium to advance past Senegal in the last 32.

The Belgian Football Association's sports director, Vincent Mannaert, expressed gratitude to Garcia for his contributions over the past 18 months and will be responsible for selecting Garcia's successor. Belgium's next match will be against Italy in the Nations League in late September.