Forgotten Liverpool Treble winner, Spurs players and title winners among shock World Cup staff | OneFootball

A forgotten Liverpool player and three genuine Premier League all-timers will be among the assorted World Cup backroom staff this summer.

The 2026 World Cup is on the horizon and part of the fun of such a weird and wonderful 48-team format will be the sport of spotting familiar faces in dugouts and spending ages trying to figure out precisely where we know them from.

Some coaching arrangements are almost too steeped in their nation’s rich history, while others are gloriously eclectic. These are the participating countries whose staff include at least one former Premier League player.

Australia

Not sure it gets any better than Tony Popovic as manager, with Mile Jedinak recently described as ‘the third assistant coach’ alongside Paul Okon and Hayden Foxe on a stunningly Premiership-flavoured staff.

Iran

Sam Allardyce claimed to have “beaten off a lot of competition” to sign Andranik Teymourian for Bolton in 2006, with such a hands-on approach to recruitment delivering a Trotters and Fulham alum who will serve as Iran’s assistant coach at the World Cup, two decades after playing in one.

Qatar

Absolutely fair play to Richie Partridge, who became the physiotherapist for the Qatar national team in 2020 after a full decade working similar roles for Liverpool.

As a player, his only start for the Reds came in their successful 2001 League Cup run, while he also made two UEFA Cup matchday squads in the same year so was about as important as Steven Gerrard and Gary McAllister to the plastic Treble. And his current vocation was ultimately well served by spending a lot of time around Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler.

Saudi Arabia

This is certainly one way of discovering that Yaya Toure is the assistant coach of Saudi Arabia. While he was appointed at the behest of Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City legend has stuck around under Herve Renard and now Georgios Donis, who has literally been called a ‘former Prem star’ recently.

DR Congo

It is impossible to stress how much time in the world we have for Herita Ilunga, once of being relegated with West Ham fame, presiding over DR Congo’s future as director of football.

Ghana

“We have enough experience to be in the semi-finals or final of the 2026 World Cup,” says John Paintsil, who was recently removed as the high performance coach of the Ghana national team but later added back to Carlos Queiroz’s staff as endurance coach.

Ivory Coast

Emerse Fae is manager, backed up by eight Premier League appearances for Reading. Ex-Arsenal ace Guy Demel (zero games) can call on his experience with West Ham as assistant coach. And bringing it all together as head of delegation is a man whose Barclays CV speaks for itself in Didier Zokora.

Tunisia

This might be our favourite link-up yet actually: legendary Huddersfield penalty-misser Michael Hefele and Sunderland relegatee Wahbi Khazri, the only player to score multiple World Cup goals for Tunisia, are assistant coaches to former France international Sabri Lamouchi.

Dean Gorre, by the way, is part of Dick Advocaat’s Curacao backroom. The Terriers representation at the World Cup is strong.

United States

Mauricio Pochettino has his usual cabal during an existential stopgap reign as USMNT head coach. If it all goes pear-shaped he might have to answer to assistant sporting director and former Newcastle loanee Oguchi Onyewu.

Argentina

There remain a great many West Ham supporters who see Lionel Scaloni not as a World Cup-winning coach, but as the player who cost them the FA Cup in 2006.

New Zealand

Ryan Nelsen is part of their High Performance and Player Welfare committee. Not even researched that, just feels right.

Croatia

Vedran Corluka is assistant coach. Perfect. Stipe Pletikosa, whose only Spurs appearance was a League Cup defeat to Arsenal after extra-time, is technical director. Wonderful. And a gold star for whomever can recall a single second of modern-day scout Nikola Jerkan‘s 14-game Premier League career with Nottingham Forest in 1997.

Czechia

The Spurs back-up keeper vibes will be strong in North America; Radek Cerny will make sure of it as Czechia goalkeeping coach.

England

Always lovely to see Henrique Hilario mentioned in any conversation not related to Stephen Hunt and Reading.

Netherlands

Wim. Jonk. And Ruud van Nistelrooy, who is waiting patiently for the next Manchester United panic.

Norway

In a sort of liaison role as player manager, Brede Hangeland is basically in charge of keeping Erling Haaland humble and very possibly counting his red M&Ms.

Portugal

Roberto Martinez’s assistant Ricardo Carvalho could probably still do a fine job at centre-half. He’s not much older than Pepe, who held his own at Euro 2024 before sending himself off into retirement.

Scotland

“When I left Hearts, I made a point of not jumping straight back in at the first offer but to reflect on my coaching experiences and wait for something that really excited me,” said Steven Naismith. Taking over from John Carver as Scotland assistant must be a mighty thrill, in fairness.

Sweden

There should absolutely be an Assistant Manager Free-Kick Contest Half-Time Show at some point during the tournament, if only to see Sebastian Larsson doing Sebastian Larsson things once again.