Rudi Garcia will leave his role as Belgium manager when his contract expires at the end of July, bringing an end to his 18-month spell in charge of the Belgian Red Devils.
The Royal Belgian FA said it is preparing for “a new cycle” and will appoint a new national coach, ending Garcia’s tenure after the football association decided not to extend his deal. Garcia was hired in January 2025 after replacing Domenico Tedesco, and his appointment was made in what Vincent Mannaert described as a “challenging sporting and financial context.”
What Garcia achieved with Belgium
Garcia’s record in charge was 12 wins, six draws and two losses across 20 matches. Belgium also reached the quarter-finals at the 2026 World Cup, where the team won one of three group-stage matches before beating Senegal 3-2 in the round of 32 and the United States 4-1. Their run ended with a 2-1 defeat to eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals.
Mannaert said Garcia had “unquestionably played a key role in restoring the Belgian Red Devils,” adding that his commitment and experience helped restore team cohesion and produce a strong result at the most recent World Cup. He also thanked Garcia and his assistants for the past 18 months.
What comes next
Belgium now moves into a new phase with the 2026 World Cup cycle in mind. For Garcia, the departure fits a pattern that has followed him in recent years: he has not stayed in a job for more than two years since leaving Marseille in 2019. That makes the end-of-July exit a familiar kind of stopping point, even after a solid run with Belgium.
