28 years after being part of the Norway national football team that defeated Brazil in one of the most famous World Cup upsets, Ståle Solbakken returns to the same scene, but this time from the technical area as Norway's coach against the Seleção on Sunday in the 2026 World Cup. The moment carries great historical significance, as Solbakken was a Norway player in the 1998 World Cup, featuring against Scotland but remaining an unused substitute in the match his country won 2-1 over Brazil. 28 years later, he leads Norway in a new World Cup encounter against the Brazilians. Solbakken's story brings to the forefront one of 8 World Cup coincidences: a player faces a team in the World Cup, and then years later the tournament brings him back against the same opponent, but as a coach. Cameroon's Rigobert Song's story appears the most dramatic in the 1994 World Cup. Song was 17 when he played against Brazil, before being sent off in the match Cameroon lost. 28 years later, he returned to face the Brazilians in the 2022 World Cup, but as coach of Cameroon. This time the ending changed, as Cameroon secured a historic 1-0 victory over Brazil. In the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Oscar Ramírez played for Costa Rica against Brazil in a match that ended 1-0 to the Brazilians. 28 years later, Ramírez attended the 2018 World Cup as Costa Rica's coach, finding Brazil again in the group stage, which ended 2-0 to Brazil. When Gareth Southgate played his first World Cup match as a player for England in 1998, the opponent was Tunisia. 20 years later, Southgate returned to the World Cup as England's coach, and his first match in the tournament from the technical area was also against Tunisia. Didier Deschamps captained France when they faced Croatia in the 1998 World Cup semifinal, leading his country to a 2-1 victory en route to the title. 20 years later, the two opponents met again, but this time in the 2018 World Cup final. Deschamps had moved from the pitch to the coach's bench, leading France to a 4-2 win and the title. Portugal's Paulo Bento played for his country against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, a match the Koreans won 1-0, contributing to Portugal's elimination. 20 years later, Bento faced Portugal again in the 2022 World Cup, but this time as coach of South Korea. South Korea won 2-1 and advanced to the next round. An additional twist: Bento was not on the bench in that match due to suspension; he watched his team's victory from the stands, but he was still the head coach and architect of the team. In the 2006 World Cup round of 16, Lionel Scaloni played for Argentina against Mexico in a match decided by Maxi Rodríguez's famous extra-time goal. 16 years later, Scaloni returned to face Mexico in the 2022 World Cup, but as Argentina's coach. His country won 2-0, an important step on their way to winning the title. In the 1986 World Cup, Argentina's Diego Maradona and South Korea's Hah Jung-moo met on the pitch, in a match that featured direct clashes between them, with Diego winning 3-1. 24 years later, Argentina and South Korea faced off again in the 2010 World Cup. This time neither was on the pitch: Maradona was coach of Argentina, and Hah Jung-moo coach of South Korea. Two who were opponents as players in the 1986 World Cup then stood on opposite technical areas as coaches in the 2010 World Cup, in a match Argentina won 4-1.