FIFA World Cup

3 people who have won the World Cup as a player and coach

Deschamps celebrates France win over Croatia
Deschamps celebrates France win over Croatia

Hugo Lloris become the 21st captain to lift the elusive World Cup title as he captained France to their second world title against Croatia at the Luznikhi Stadium in Moscow on Sunday.

After a month of Russian football extravaganza, the Les Bleus beat Croatian 4-2 in the final and both teams inspired a generation of football fans with their displays. However, Didier Deschamps and his conservative tactics came out on top as the French team was the most complete unit throughout the tournament.




French displays at Russia 2018 were a masterclass in how a team rebuilds after a catastrophic defeat at home in the final of the Euro 2016 and goes through the gears and retains its compact nature in tournament football at the highest level.

It takes a manager of some repute and class along with a dedicated group of players who are committed to the task ahead. The French managed the competition better than any other team and were so confident and composed the team never played a game that went beyond the initial 90 minutes.

Here we take a look at the three football men from three different nations who have achieved the unique feat of winning the World Cup as a player and a manager.





#3 Didier Deschamps

The third person in the history of football to win the World Cup as a player and coach, Didier Deschamps guided France to glory as captain of the 1998 team and most recently as manager of the 2018 team that just claimed the title in Russia.

The midfielder was a strong defensive player with a keen eye for a pass and sound technical ability with great work rate. Deschamps lead by example and will go down in French football history as one of its greatest servants.

The manager was strongly criticised for some of his selection choices before the tournament, but no one is complaining now as the Les Bleus are world champions, once again. Deschamps selected a young squad that had a lot of experience and will be available to form the French core for a number of years and possibly contenders to win future big tournaments.



#2 Franz Beckenbauer

1974 World Cup Final. Munich, West Germany. 7th July, 1974. West Germany 2 v Holland 1. West German captain Franz Beckenbauer holds aloft the trophy as his team become World Champions for the second time in history.
Beckenbauer hoists the World Cup trophy

Franz Beckenbauer aka Der Kaiser at 20-years-old played in his first World Cup in England in 1966. Die Mannschaft breezed through to the final but came undone by the English on home soil in the final. In 1972, where West Germany, now captained by Der Kaiser, lifted their first international trophy in 18 years; the European Championship.

2 years later it was the self-hosted World Cup tournament in 1974 which saw Beckenbauer become the first captain to lead a nation to the titles of both champions of Europe as well as the world; only a feat mimicked twice since; France in 2000 and Spain in 2010.

#1 Mario Zagallo

2014 FIFA World Cup Final Draw - Previews
Zagallo at a press conference

The great, illustrious history of Brazilian football is linked with one Mario Zagallo. ‘The Professor,’ as he is known to his players, he is a legend not only in his homeland but all-round the world, having played a role in four of the five FIFA World Cups won by the Seleçao. Zagallo has accumulated over the years a number of records but one that’s most unique is the fact that he won the World Cup as a player and manager.

The Brazilian’s fingerprints on four FIFA World Cup trophies speak for themselves. A true icon of the Brazilian game, he won two of them as a player in Sweden 58 and Chile 62, one as national manager in 1970 and another as an assistant manager in 1994. Before Deschamps joined the club, only German legend Franz Beckenbauer in the history of world football can match Zagallo’s feat of having been crowned world champion as both a player and a coach.

Zagallo was a coach and finished runners-up in the 1998 final defeat to France in France that also happened to be his last contribution to the national team.



Most Popular

To Top