Czech Republic coach Koubek quits after World Cup flop

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The Czech Football Association (FACR) said Monday it had parted ways with national team coach Miroslav Koubek following their first-round World Cup exit.

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The 74-year-old led the Czechs to their first World Cup spot in 20 years with shootout wins over Ireland and Denmark in the March play-offs.

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But the Czechs failed to shine at the tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, earning a single point for a 1-1 draw with South Africa and losing to South Korea and Mexico in Group A.

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“We have agreed with coach Miroslav Koubek on terminating our cooperation,” FACR head David Trunda said in a statement.

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“At a meeting today, the coach offered his resignation and I decided to accept the offer after an open and correct debate,” he added.

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Koubek signed a two-year deal with the FACR when he took the team over before the play-offs, but he came under heavy fire after the World Cup flop.

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“My decision is also due to a media campaign based on a number of half-truths concerning me,” Koubek said in a statement.

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“In this atmosphere my work for the Czech national team would not make sense any more.”

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The Czechs also lost their top striker Patrik Schick after the World Cup exit.

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The 30-year-old Leverkusen forward announced his international career was over after 56 games in which he had scored 26 goals.

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Schick criticised the Czechs’ performance in a statement last Thursday, saying that “we need to face the truth and change a number of things that don’t work”.

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The Czechs are due to play the top level of the 2026-2027 League of Nations, facing Croatia, England and Spain in Group A3.

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