French coach Hervé Renard has confirmed he has been relieved of his duties as head coach of Saudi Arabia, less than two months before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking about his dismissal, the 57-year-old coach expressed mixed emotions but took pride in his achievements with the team.
“That’s football… Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me,” he told AFP.
Renard added, “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.”
themomentng reports that Renard returned for a second spell as Saudi Arabia coach at the end of 2024, having previously managed the team between 2019 and 2023.
During his first tenure, he led the team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Saudi Arabia recorded a historic group-stage victory over eventual champions Argentina.
The Frenchman is widely respected for his international coaching success, having won the Africa Cup of Nations twice—first with Zambia and later with the Ivory Coast.
He also had a stint with the French women’s national team, guiding them to the quarter-finals of both the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Olympic Games.
Renard’s return to the Saudi job came after the departure of Roberto Mancini, who left the role following an underwhelming 14-month spell.
However, his second tenure has now ended abruptly ahead of the global tournament.
Reports indicate that former Greece international Georgios Donis is being considered as Renard’s replacement.
A source close to the discussions told AFP that negotiations are ongoing between the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Saudi club Al Khaleej, where Donis has been in charge since 2024.
Saudi Arabia is scheduled to compete in Group H at the 2026 World Cup, where they will face Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde.
The team will now head into the tournament under new leadership as preparations continue for the global showpiece.
