Euro 2024 quarterfinal coaches: fashion, strengths, weaknesses

Euro 2024 is all the way down to the ultimate eight groups, however what do you should know concerning the males who’ve led their groups to the quarterfinals?

We requested ESPN FC’s writers on the match for his or her ideas on the remaining managers’ fashion of play, who their influences are, in addition to their strengths and weaknesses.

JULIAN NAGELSMANN – GERMANY

Nagelsmann has loved a outstanding rise to turn out to be one of many sport’s most high-profile coaches at such a younger age. By the age of 35, he had already coached Bayern Munich and brought cost of the Germany nationwide staff, and achieved so with out having made a single aggressive look as a participant.

A promising centre-back, Nagelsmann retired at simply 20 years previous attributable to a critical knee damage sustained whereas a teenager underneath the steerage of Thomas Tuchel at FC Augsburg. Tuchel, the previous Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach, mentored Nagelsmann on the time, handing him scouting duties and setting him on the trail towards gaining his teaching {qualifications} on the similar age as learning sports activities science and enterprise administration at college.

After rising by way of the teaching ranks at TSG Hoffenheim, the place he began out as youth academy coach in 2010 on the age of 23, Nagelsmann grew to become head coach in 2015 having been nicknamed “Mini Mourinho” by goalkeeping coach Tim Wiese.

Nagelsmann loved unbelievable success at Hoffenheim, guiding the staff into the UEFA Champions League earlier than leaving for RB Leipzig, the place his trajectory continued to maneuver upwards with additional Champions League qualification. Having asserted himself as probably the most sought-after younger coach in Germany, Nagelsmann then moved to Bayern in 2021, however lasted lower than two seasons on the Allianz Area earlier than leaving amid claims of senior gamers dropping religion in his strategies.

Nagelsmann has cited Jürgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Ralf Rangnick as tactical influences for his high-pressing fashion, however he’s additionally a perfectionist and has used massive screens at coaching grounds to right participant positioning.

He’s additionally ready to make massive calls, drop massive names — Mats Hummel was omitted from Germany’s Euro 2024 squad whereas Florian Wirtz was dropped for the round-of-16 tie in opposition to Denmark.

Nagelsmann is daring, audacious, at occasions over-confident, however his monitor file is among the finest round. — Mark Ogden

LUIS DE LA FUENTE – SPAIN

There was an absence of pleasure when De la Fuente changed Luis Enrique after the 2022 World Cup, however he’s rapidly profitable folks round. A tricky-tackling full-back as a participant, he labored his means by way of the ranks inside Spain’s nationwide staff, beginning with the under-19s in 2013, then transferring on to the U21s and U23s earlier than touchdown the highest job.

He led Spain to the UEFA Nations League title final summer season and received the European Championship with the U19s (2015) and U21s (2019), in addition to a silver medal with the U23s on the Olympic Video games (2020). All through that point, the 63-year-old has embraced the attacking and passing methodology which has introduced La Roja a lot success at varied ranges of the sport, all arrange in a 4-3-3 formation.

Nonetheless, at Euro 2024 he has additionally proven that he’s in a position to incorporate different traits to a mode many beforehand thought of too possession heavy. With the addition of wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, De la Fuente has made Spain extra unpredictable. His in-tournament expertise and long-standing relationships with a few of the gamers are additionally coming to the fore in Germany, as Unai Simón, Rodri, Pedri, Marc Cucurella and Dani Olmo are amongst a handful concerned within the senior squad who labored with him at youth stage.

“There is no staff higher than us on the match,” De la Fuente says of his staff, who’ve received all 4 of their video games at Euro 2024. And he could also be proper — Sam Marsden.

DIDIER DESCHAMPS – FRANCE

Deschamps mentioned it himself after France’s 1-0 win in opposition to Austria of their opening sport of the match: “Our DNA is our collective power and our solidity.” He’s a grasp at constructing resilient, defensively sturdy and well-structured groups, which is how he received the 2018 World Cup as a supervisor and the way he acquired to 3 of the previous 4 finals of main tournaments (2016, 2018, 2022.)

Deschamps’ soccer schooling got here from his time in Italy at Juventus as a participant and supervisor, whereas he was additionally impressed by Aimé Jacquet, his head coach for France’s 1998 World Cup success, who based mostly every little thing on a robust defence. The defensive midfielder represents the “let’s be stable first after which let our particular gamers make the distinction with the ball later” college of thought.

“You win trophies as a result of you’ve got one of the best defence,” he instructed the media earlier than flying to Euro 2024. France won’t ever play attractive attacking soccer underneath him, regardless of the expertise he has at his disposal, however the staff will at all times be extraordinarily laborious to play in opposition to and can at all times discover a approach to win.

He is a superb man-manager who values chemistry and staff spirit amongst his gamers. The one weak spot in his philosophy is {that a} pragmatic method may not be sufficient in sure video games. However as Deschamps says: “My fashion wins. The day I’ll cease profitable then we’ll discuss.” — Julien Laurens.

ROBERTO MARTINEZ – PORTUGAL

After a modest taking part in profession as a midfielder that began at Zaragoza and included stops in England’s decrease divisions with Wigan Athletic and Swansea, Martinez has made his identify as a front-foot, tactically versatile coach.

Essentially the most spectacular achievement on his CV as a membership supervisor is his masterminding of Wigan’s victory over Manchester Metropolis within the 2013 FA Cup last. After coming into worldwide administration with Belgium in 2016, he led their “golden era” to the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018.

He was a shock selection as Portugal boss in January 2023, however any doubts had been calmed throughout an virtually flawless Euro 2024 qualifying marketing campaign. He is received plaudits, particularly, for getting one of the best out of Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva in a means predecessor, Fernando Santos, usually struggled to do.

Martinez experimented with a again 5 throughout qualifying, however settled on variations of 4-3-3 forward of the match in Germany. Full-backs João Cancelo and Nuno Mendes are inspired to get ahead with one of many themes of how Portugal have performed on the Euros being the variety of crosses geared toward centre-forward Cristiano Ronaldo. The 39-year-old’s worldwide profession appeared all however over after the Qatar World Cup, however he has reestablished himself as the principle man underneath Martinez and far of the best way Portugal play is designed to go well with his talents as a penalty field predator. — Rob Dawson

GARETH SOUTHGATE – ENGLAND

Southgate will take cost of his one hundredth match as England boss in Saturday’s quarterfinal in opposition to Switzerland. In reaching that landmark milestone, the 53-year-old oversaw victory in opposition to Slovakia to win his seventh match knockout sport — a better quantity than each different England supervisor since 1966 mixed.

Southgate has at all times had an acute understanding of the gulf between what England assume they need to be able to on the worldwide stage and what they’ve traditionally produced, knowledgeable by 57 caps as a participant and the non-public nadir of lacking a penalty of their Euro ’96 semifinal shootout defeat to Germany at Wembley.

The previous central defender redefined the nation’s relationship with the nationwide staff for a era, making it a chance to grab moderately than a burden to hold. Gamers needed to play once more; the followers reconnected with the staff. Southgate drew on the administration fashion of Terry Venables, England’s supervisor at Euro ’96, to alter the tradition profoundly.

A cautious, nurtured pragmatism permeated Southgate’s taking part in fashion and it was acceptable for a younger group with restricted expertise. However at Euro 2024, there’s a rising argument that this group of gamers want one thing extra.

England boast a shocking array of attacking choices however their soccer in reaching this level has been desperately disjointed, a lot lower than the sum of their elements. Followers have booed Southgate for failing to facilitate this cohesion. They’re nonetheless alive, nonetheless combating and it might all instantly click on. But when it does not, Southgate will likely be considered as the issue moderately than the answer regardless of his longevity. — James Olley

Yakin was a robust, athletic centre-back with an eye fixed for purpose who starred for each Basel and Roy Hodgson’s Switzerland staff. That mixture of athleticism and defensive high quality has been a trademark of his teaching fashion, though it hasn’t at all times labored in the best way he would have favored.

Switzerland received simply one in all their last seven qualifying video games for Euro 2024 (and that was in opposition to Andorra) and at one level, following a 3-3 dwelling draw with Belarus, it appeared as if he could be sacked.

Yakin’s base setup at Euro 2024 is a 3-4-2-1 which appears designed to minimise particular person flaws. His left-sided central defender, Ricardo Rodríguez, is mostly a full-back who has to play inside attributable to lack of tempo (and age), so he yo-yos between the center and the left flank out and in of possession. His proper wing-back is Silvan Widmer, besides when he was suspended — in opposition to Italy — he wasn’t changed by one other defender, however moderately by Dan Ndoye, who’s a ahead by commerce, largely due to his velocity and work price.

Yakin can depend on an incredible goalkeeper (Yann Sommer), stable centre-backs (Manuel Akanji and Fabian Schär) and a midfield duo (Remo Freuler and Granit Xhaka) who seemingly cowl each blade of grass. That is his tactical base. The remaining is usually velocity and athleticism, with a ton of self-discipline. And it has labored a deal with up to now. — Gab Marcotti

Koeman returned for a second spell as Netherlands coach in 2023, however that is the primary time he has led his nation at a significant match. His first stint in cost was reduce brief when the chance to handle his former membership, Barcelona, arose in 2020, however he returned as Louis van Gaal’s alternative after the 2022 World Cup.

Koeman, 61, loved a embellished taking part in profession with Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona, taking part in underneath Johan Cruyff and Guus Hiddink. The ball-playing defender — who scored greater than 250 objectives whereas taking part in in defence — cites Cruyff as his greatest tactical affect, usually saying his taking part in fashion is marked by Dutch and Barça DNA, however says he takes his man-management from Hiddink.

After various levels of success as a supervisor in his homeland, Portugal, Spain and England, profitable the Euros with Netherlands would high something he has achieved beforehand as a coach. It’s one thing he has already achieved as a participant, too. He was a part of the Dutch aspect which received Euro ’88 in Germany, when he was named within the Crew of the Event.

There’s a feeling his Netherlands aspect are rising into the match after a difficult group section. Sticking to a 4-3-3 formation — though Koeman has by no means been devoted to 1 system — they eased previous Romania within the spherical of 16 and will likely be favourites in opposition to Turkey. — Marsden

VINCENZO MONTELLA – TURKEY

Montella’s teaching profession is about beginning scorching, falling and climbing again up. A prolific striker as a participant — he completed with 141 top-flight objectives taking part in for the likes of Roma, Sampdoria and Genoa — he made his identify as a coach at Fiorentina, taking them to 3 straight top-four finishes and incomes plaudits for his possession-oriented sport. After that, nonetheless, issues went on the slide and he had tough experiences at Sampdoria, AC Milan, Sevilla, and in a second stint at Fiorentina.

He reacted by taking 18 months off and reemerging in an unlikely place: Adana Demirspor, who had been almost promoted to the Turkish high flight. Two years later, he was provided the Turkey job, guiding them by way of qualifying with ease. He dedicated to selling kids — with a view towards Euro 2028, with Turkey as co-hosts — and was true to his phrase, deploying youngsters like Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz in opposition to Austria.

The Euro 2024 model of Turkey is pragmatic, at all times eager to take advantage of the qualities of the aforementioned Güler and Yildiz, but additionally guys like Baris Yilmaz. Montella offers them licence to create and assault on the ball, asking for self-discipline when out of possession.

Above all, he has managed to instill depth and self-belief in a proficient however often-inconsistent group. These qualities helped them previous Austria, regardless of Turkey having to play with out their defensive chief Samet Akaydin and captain Hakan Çalhanoglu, each of whom had been suspended. — Marcotti