Venezuela sack manager after World Cup 2026 qualifiers flop | OneFootball

The Argentine Fernando “Bocha” Batista resigned from his position as coach of the Venezuelan national team, the country's football board announced this Wednesday (10), after Venezuela failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

The Venezuelan team was defeated by Colombia on Tuesday and lost the chance to advance to the intercontinental playoff. The 6-3 thrashing suffered at home left Batista's team with no chances and allowed Bolivia to advance, after defeating Brazil 1-0 in the city of El Alto, 4,150 meters above sea level.

“After the conclusion of the qualifying process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Fernando ‘Bocha’ Batista was dismissed from his duties as technical director of the national team, along with his entire coaching staff,” the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) said in a statement.

“The decision is due to the fact that the sporting results set as goals during this cycle were not achieved,” the Federation added.

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro had previously called for “a restructuring of the coaching staff.”

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Politics has permeated the FVF. Its president, Jorge Jiménez, nicknamed Maduro the “silent godfather of Vinotinto.”

Venezuela is the only Conmebol country that has never played in a World Cup. The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams in 2026, which led to a greater number of spots per region, gave Vinotinto a chance for the first time.

Batista took over the team in March 2023, after the sudden departure of his compatriot José Pekerman, whom he had assisted as technical coach. Venezuela was his first experience leading a senior national team.

“Although the effort and dedication shown are recognized, the Federation believes that a change of direction is necessary to ensure that Vinotinto continues advancing in its process of growth and consolidation,” the entity stated.

“Under Batista's command, the team showed competitive spirit and moments of footballing evolution, but the final results fell short of the expectations of the country and the institution,” the FVF highlighted.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.