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Saudi Arabia Sacks Coach Renard Ahead of World Cup

From The Punch · (2d ago) English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Herve Renard has been dismissed as Saudi Arabia's national football coach less than two months before the 2026 World Cup.
  • Renard, who previously led Saudi Arabia to a famous win over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, was in his second spell as coach.
  • Georgios Donis is reportedly the leading candidate to replace Renard, with talks underway between the federation and Al Khaleej.

The Saudi football federation has made a decisive move, parting ways with French coach Herve Renard just weeks before the 2026 World Cup. This decision, while abrupt, reflects the high-stakes environment of international football where performance and immediate results are paramount.

Renard, a respected figure who guided the Saudi team to a memorable victory against eventual champions Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, found himself on the sidelines again. His tenure, marked by both highs and lows, ultimately did not meet the federation's expectations for the upcoming global tournament. The timing of this change, so close to the World Cup, raises questions about the team's preparation and stability.

That’s football… Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me.

— Herve RenardRenard reflects on his dismissal and the team's World Cup qualification history.

As the federation seeks a new tactician, the focus shifts to finding a coach who can quickly instill confidence and strategy. The reported interest in Georgios Donis suggests a preference for a coach with a strong understanding of the local football landscape. For Saudi football, this is a critical juncture, and the choice of the next coach will undoubtedly shape the nation's performance and aspirations on the world stage.

And there’s only one coach who has led them through both the qualifiers and the World Cup; that’s me, in 2022. At least there will be that sense of pride.

— Herve RenardRenard expresses a sense of pride in his past achievements with the Saudi national team.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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