3 players who have won FIFA World Cup both as player and coach

Football is a game of emotions, passion and drama. The game has seen some of the biggest superstars to achieve their goal and some have left the pitch without achieving the same. The likes of Pele, Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Lothar Matthaus, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe the game has seen these players in their best of times and the worst as well. The most prestigious for a player is to win the FIFA World Cup for the country. 

In the pages of football history, there exists a rare and prestigious class of individuals who have not only tasted World Cup glory as players, but have gone on to manage teams to victory. Among this elite group is a legend whose path is immortalised in the golden pages of the beautiful game. Their story is a captivating tale of success, resilience, and unflinching dedication to the quest of football glory.

World Cup victories represent not only personal achievement, but also a legacy that spans generations, encouraging a new age of football brilliance. In the article we will looking into those players who have got the taste of the World Cup twice first as a player and then as a manager of the country. 

Here are the 3 players who have won the World Cup as player and coach

3. Didier Deschamps

Didier Deschamps won the World Cup as a player in 1998, captaining France to victory defeating Brazil in the final 3-1 with Zinedine Zidane scoring two goals. In 2018, he led Les Blues to a 4-2 victory over Croatia in the title match, after France reached the final for the first time since 2006. He led the side in the 2022 year as well but they lost to Argentina in the final in the penalty shoot-out. 

2. Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer, the great German won the World Cup in 1974 on home turf, defeating the Netherlands in the final. As a manager, he led his team to the trophy in 1990, defeating an Argentina side captained by Diego Maradona and overcoming England in the semi-finals. The Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm, died on Monday at the age of 78. He was the second in the world to win football's most prestigious trophy both as a player and as a coach. “The ‘Kaiser’ was one of the best players our sport has ever seen.”

1. Mario Zagallo

Mario Zagallo won the World Cup twice for Brazil, in 1958 and 1962. They won the final against Sweden and then overcame Czechoslovakia. He later led his country in 1970, when they won the legendary trophy with a team that included Pele and Jairzinho, defeating Italy in the final. Zagallo sadly died at the age of 92 a few days back on 5th of January 2024. The coach had a brilliant record with the national team of Brazil.