Miroslav Koubek
Miroslav Koubek took charge of the Czech Republic in 2024, bringing an unusual CV for a European national team coach — one built almost entirely in the Gulf, with spells at Al Hilal, Qatar SC, and multiple stints at Fujairah, plus a stint with Lebanon. That Middle Eastern experience gives him a pragmatic, defensively organized approach shaped by coaching limited resources against technically superior opponents. The Czech Republic, historically strong in European qualifying but prone to underperforming at tournaments, will test whether Koubek's tactical discipline can translate into a coherent system for a squad navigating a post-Petr Čech and Tomáš Rosický generational transition.
Městec Králové, Czechia · 1963-09-06
Profile
Miroslav Koubek is a veteran Czech coach who has managed clubs including Viktoria Plzeň, where he won the Czech league title. A pragmatist by nature, he organises Czechia in a compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 shape, prioritising defensive solidity and quick vertical transitions over elaborate build-up. He was appointed to stabilise a squad that had underperformed at recent tournaments, leaning heavily on Slavia Prague's domestic core to provide cohesion.
Career
Czechia2024 – present
Lebanon2021 – 2022
Fujairah2019Fujairah2018 – 2019
Emirates2016 – 2018Fujairah2014 – 2016
Qatar SC2014
Al Hilal2012
Shabab Al Ahli2011Czechia2009
Saint-Etienne2006 – 2007
Strasbourg2001 – 2003Team identity
Miroslav Koubek typically deploys a 4-2-3-1, with Tomáš Souček as one of the double pivots providing physicality and box-to-box energy. Lukáš Provod operates in the advanced midfield role, linking play between the lines. Defensively, the team sits in a mid-block and looks to win the ball and transition quickly to Patrik Schick. Robin Hranáč and Ladislav Krejčí anchor the back four, keeping the shape compact and disciplined.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Czechia's manager at the 2026 World Cup?
Miroslav Koubek is the head coach of Czechia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What is Miroslav Koubek's background?
Miroslav Koubek took charge of the Czech Republic in 2024, bringing an unusual CV for a European national team coach — one built almost entirely in the Gulf, with spells at Al Hilal, Qatar SC, and multiple stints at Fujairah, plus a stint w…