Study crowns FIFA World Cup 2026 sexiest managers, England’s Thomas Tuchel falls short of the podium by his former successor

A new study ranking the most attractive managers at the FIFA World Cup 2026 has placed England boss Thomas Tuchel among the tournament’s top-rated coaches. While Tuchel will be focused on leading England to World Cup success in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, he has also received recognition away from the pitch. The German coach finished fourth in a list that measured attractiveness using a combination of facial symmetry, height, age, and managerial achievements.

The research, conducted by Live Football Tickets, analyzed all 48 managers set to participate in the expanded World Cup. The study produced an overall attractiveness score out of ten for each coach. Despite narrowly missing a place in the top three, Tuchel ranked ahead of several high-profile managers. Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter, who is now in charge of Sweden, edged past him. Meanwhile, Algeria boss Vladimir Petkovic topped the rankings with the highest overall score.

Vladimir Petkovic tops FIFA World Cup 2026 sexiest managers ranking

According to the study, Algeria manager Vladimir Petkovic was named the most attractive coach at the tournament. The 62-year-old achieved an overall score of 9.30. Researchers highlighted his strong facial proportions, impressive height, and successful managerial record as major factors behind his first-place finish.


Australia head coach Tony Popovic secured second position with a score of 8.99. His ranking was boosted by being the tallest manager at the tournament, standing at 6ft 4in. Sweden boss Graham Potter finished third with 8.51, narrowly staying ahead of Thomas Tuchel.

The England manager received an attractiveness score of 8.43. Analysts noted that although his facial symmetry rating was lower than some rivals, his tall frame and strong win percentage helped him earn a place among the tournament’s highest-ranked coaches.

Several other notable names also featured in the top ten. Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae finished fifth, followed by Qatar manager Julen Lopetegui and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann. Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman, Switzerland’s Murat Yakin, and Panama coach Thomas Christiansen completed the top ten rankings.

Further down the list, Austria manager Ralf Rangnick placed 34th. Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti ranked 27th, while United States coach Mauricio Pochettino came in 30th. France manager Didier Deschamps and Scotland boss Steve Clarke were positioned between the two former Chelsea managers.

Near the bottom of the rankings were Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa and Canada coach Jesse Marsch. New Zealand manager Darren Bazeley finished last among all 48 World Cup coaches with a score of 4.31.