Rudi Garcia to leave Belgium role at end of July | OneFootball

Rudi Garcia will step down as Belgium head coach at the end of July, the federation announced on Monday.

Appointed in February 2025 to replace Domenico Tedesco, he stabilised a side in flux. Belgium stayed in Nations League A against Ukraine, winning 3-0 in the return after a 3-1 first-leg defeat, then qualified for the North American World Cup.

At the finals they beat Senegal 3-2 after extra time in the round of 32, having trailed 2-0, and overpowered the United States 4-1 in the last 16 amid controversy over FIFA lifting Folarin Balogun’s suspension. They fell 2-1 to Spain in the quarter-finals, Mikel Merino scoring in the 88th minute for the eventual champions, who conceded only one goal in eight games.

Guiding a group still including Thibaut Courtois and Kevin de Bruyne, Garcia put together an 18-match unbeaten run, losing only his first and last matches.

Garcia, 62, previously managed Lille, AS Roma, Marseille and Lyon. He said after talks with the federation that both sides had agreed not to prolong their work over the past 18 months, while sporting director Vincent Mannaert praised his contribution in a difficult context and said a new cycle is being prepared, including appointing a successor.

Source: Le Progres