Belgium’s football association announced on January 17, 2025, that it had parted ways with national team coach Domenico Tedesco. This decision follows a series of underwhelming performances in major international competitions, including the Euro 2024 and the Nations League.
Tedesco, who was appointed in February 2023 to replace Roberto Martinez, was tasked with rebuilding the national team as Belgium’s “golden generation” of players began to fade from the international scene. However, despite his efforts, the Red Devils failed to meet expectations.
The Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed their disappointment with the team’s performance, stating, “Unfortunately, the Red Devils did not perform as we hoped at Euro 2024, just as they did in the next Nations League campaign.”
Tedesco’s team did manage to qualify for Euro 2024, but their journey was short-lived as they were eliminated in the round of 16 by France. The loss to France was followed by two more defeats in the Nations League, leaving Belgium in third place in their group.
As a result, Belgium now faces a relegation play-off against Ukraine in March, raising further concerns over the national team’s future. Despite these setbacks, Tedesco remained optimistic about the team’s potential.
He expressed his pride in coaching the Red Devils, stating, “I was always proud to be the coach of the Red Devils, we achieved great things together. This team is still at the beginning of its development and will cause a sensation in the coming years.”
The decision to terminate Tedesco’s contract had been anticipated for several weeks, but the process took longer than expected due to financial complexities within the RBFA.
Tedesco, aged 39, was under contract until 2026 with an estimated annual salary of 1.7 million euros ($1.75 million). In addition to Tedesco, five members of his coaching staff were also dismissed.
Peter Willems, CEO of the RBFA, acknowledged Tedesco’s contributions, stating, “Domenico made an excellent start as national coach and proved that there are still great things possible, even after the send-off of the previous generation. He has integrated a number of young players into the team, and his successor can build on this.” The RBFA expressed gratitude for Tedesco’s work and wished him and his team the best for the future.
Currently, the Belgian football association has not specified a timeline for appointing a new coach. However, local media reports suggest that Vincent Mannaert, RBFA’s technical director, approached several high-profile coaches, including Sergio Conceicao, Xavi, and Erik ten Hag, though they declined the offers. French managers Rudi Garcia and Thierry Henry, as well as Dutch coach Mark van Bommel, have emerged as top candidates for the role.
Belgium will begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in June with an away match against North Macedonia.
