Nagelsmann and Advocaat set World Cup record age gap for Germany v Curaçao | OneFootball

Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, 38 years and 326 days, and Curaçao’s Dick Advocaat, 78 years and 260 days, are separated by 39 years and 299 days. Statsdufoot notes it is the biggest age gap between opposing managers in a World Cup match.

Sunday’s Germany v Curaçao fixture, the opening matchday of the group stage, also made headlines for the contrast in the dugouts.

Nagelsmann embodies the new coaching generation. After a notable spell at Bayer Munich from 2021 to 2023, he was appointed Germany head coach in September 2023.

Advocaat began his managerial career in 1987, 39 years earlier, and has since worked across the world as a club and national team manager.

The pair’s vastly different paths underlined a striking generational divide on the World Cup stage, capped by the tournament’s widest age gap between opposing coaches.

Source: L'Équipe