Things have not gone well for Belgium’s head coach Domenico Tedesco in recent months. A poor Nations League campaign was capped off with a defeat to Israel that has now led many pundits and fans to question whether or not the Italian/German should remain in charge. Sacking Tedesco would not be a cheap option for the Belgian FA, who handed the 39-year-old a contract extension until 2026.
When we look at the first year and a half of Tedesco, there are plenty of similarities between his time as the Red Devils head coach and that of his spells in Germany with Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig. At both Bundesliga sides, Tedesco started well and had success, leading Schalke into European football and winning the DFB Pokal with the RB side. However, he was unable to sustain his success at either side.
Going into Euro 2024, while not favourites, Belgium had enjoyed a long unbeaten run under Tedesco. There was a positive feeling inside the camp, although things had started to break down already. His relationship with Thibaut Courtois is now irreparable, with the Real Madrid goalkeeper saying he will not play for Belgium under Tedesco. With how things are going, he may be back sooner than he thought.
It feels inevitable that Tedesco will be gone before the next major international tournament in 2026. He will now also carry the reputation of a head coach that can bring about quick success, but is unable to sustain this over a longer period of time.
GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson – Author of The Africa Cup of Nations: The History of an Underappreciated Tournament
