The best of both worlds: World Cup coaches feature casual and formal styles

Some coaches have impressed the average World Cup viewer this year — but not for their coaching acumen.

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Instead, it’s for something that reminds them of a way some sports used to be in the American athletic scene.

Suits.

“One of my favorite aspects about the World Cup is seeing the coaches wearing suits and ties,” one post on X said. “Bring it back to basketball. Peak coaching attire.”

Coaches such as Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Didier Deschamps (France) and Thomas Christiansen (Panama) have impressed with their sharp look while directing their respective teams out on the pitch.

2 different styles

Belgium’s Rudi Garcia garnered a lot of attention as his attire was contrasted with U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino during their round of 16 matchup on Monday.

Garcia’s classic look with a red tie had some thinking he resembles a congressman as opposed to coaching a team now in the quarterfinals at the World Cup.

Unfortunately for Garcia, his suit got soaked during a hydration break in a previous match against Senegal. But lucky for us, the moment did provide one of the best funny moments of this World Cup.

Meanwhile, Pochettino impressed with his casual look as he donned on a blue button-up shirt with matching trousers on top of a white undershirt, completing the look with white Nikes. His shirt, a Hugo Boss overshirt, even became one of the top sellers as USMNT supporters rallied behind the coach, according to Front Office News.

The product sold out within days of the viral fit making waves online, and the second stock nearly sold out before the U.S.-Belgium match.

The funny thing is that Pochettino only continued the look because of superstition, quoting Crash Davis: “Never mess with a winning streak,” in the movie “Bull Durham,” per The Athletic. Donning the blue look all three games of the group play, he did not want to mess with what the team had going after taking the top spot, and clearly, neither did the country.

However, the five game run is over, and it is likely the fit is retired.

Which coach remaining has the best style?

Switzerland’s Murat Yakin is also making splashes with his stupendous hair and glasses along with a stylish sport coat. He has his Switzerland squad in the quarterfinal for the first time in 72 years, but he’s making headlines for something more.

Coaching Spain’s squad, de la Fuente arrives in a tailored suit along with a dotted tie. However, the 65-year-old did change during a match against Saudi Arabia when he came back from half-time with a polo underneath the same jacket, per The Athletic.

France’s Deschamps has coached an elite squad to a stellar performance so far in the World Cup, but his squad is not the only thing elite about the team. So is his outfit.

A white-collar shirt with a suit captures the image of a sharp-dressed man, who just happens to coach soccer.

Thomas Tuchel of England, however, decides to leave the fashion side of the game behind. The 6-foot-4 coach usually wears a polo with some pants, nothing fancy. He’s there to coach a team and get the job done.

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His outfit is featured in this amusing locker room video when a player faked an injury.

Wearing official Argentina training gear, Lionel Scaloni may be even more casual than Tuchel. Can’t argue with the on-field results, but if he wants to compete with the remaining coaches, he needs to step up his outfit. Who knows, maybe he is planning on playing one of these games.

Morocco is another tough team experiencing a deep run this year behind Mohamed Ouahbi’s orders. His all-black appearance featuring a shirt and sport coat gave the appearance he was attending a funeral, which he did — Canada’s.

Ståle Solbakken shows zero fashion sense in his games, but when you are the coach of Norway with a stud like Erling Haaland, the attention will likely be diverted.

Should basketball and football bring suits back?

Seeing coaches dressed for the occasion sparked some chatter concerning sports like basketball.

“Basketball coaches should wear suits. I’m not changing with the times on this one,” a post said.

Another echoed the same sentiment, adding support for more consistency for team colors as well.

“Coaches back in suits and home teams playing 90% of their games in white jerseys.”

The change to casual came about gradually through the years as coaches express their love for the “athleisure” fit they get to enjoy, because it has not always been so. For so long, coaches would be seen directing their teams in a suit and tie without fail, but that disappeared entirely after 2020, when the league allowed coaches to wear less formal attire as long as it was in official NBA gear.

It is not what makes the game, but it does add to the experience seeing two sharply dressed coaches battling it out.

The Cleveland Cavaliers coach expressed a lonely opinion among team leaders when asked about the dress code.

“I would prefer us wearing suits,” Kenny Atkinson said, per The Athletic. “I think I’m in the minority. I just love (wearing suits). We’re a profession. I think it looks great. I think it looks great on TV. My daughter keeps saying, she says it at least once a week. She’s 14 years old and she says, ‘Dad, I miss the suits.’ I just think it gives a certain aesthetic. I enjoyed seeing what the other coaches wore. I don’t know if that’s old school. I don’t know, but I miss that. I wish we’d bring it back.”

Who knows, maybe, like one post expressed, coaches will wear uniforms like they do in baseball. Jokes aside, it does not seem coaches will be wearing formal attire anytime soon.