Hervé Renard has been dismissed as head coach of the Saudi Arabia national football team in a stunning decision taken just 55 days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sending shockwaves through the international football community.
The timing of the decision has raised widespread surprise, coming so close to the biggest tournament in world football, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Saudi Arabia are now expected to appoint former midfielder Georgios Donis as interim or short term replacement as they rush to stabilise preparations.
Renard, 57, was in his second spell in charge of the national team after returning in 2024. His dismissal marks the abrupt end of a tenure that had been built on tournament experience and previous success on the international stage.
During his earlier spell, Renard guided Saudi Arabia to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they produced one of the most memorable shocks in recent tournament history by defeating eventual champions Argentina national football team in the group stage. That victory became one of the defining moments of the tournament and significantly raised the profile of Saudi Arabian football.
Renard originally took charge of the team in 2019, leading them through qualification for the 2022 World Cup before leaving in 2023. He was later succeeded by Roberto Mancini, whose spell lasted just over a year before his departure, after which Renard was brought back to restore stability and experience.
His coaching career has been widely respected across international football. He is a rare figure in the game to have achieved success in multiple continents and tournaments, including winning the Africa Cup of Nations twice. He first lifted the trophy with Zambia in 2012 in one of international football’s most emotional triumphs, before repeating the feat with Ivory Coast in 2015, further cementing his reputation as a specialist in international tournament football.
Beyond Africa, Renard also led Morocco national football team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, ending a long absence for the nation at the tournament. Although Morocco exited in the group stage, his work with the team was credited with improving structure, discipline, and competitiveness at international level.
Most recently, his Saudi Arabia team reached the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they exited at the group stage but still left a strong impression thanks to their famous win over Argentina. That result remains one of the biggest shocks in modern World Cup history and is still referenced as a landmark moment in Saudi football development.
Following his dismissal, Renard addressed the situation in comments to AFP, reflecting calmly on his exit while highlighting his achievements with the national team.
“That’s football… Saudi Arabia have qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me,” he said. “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.”
Saudi Arabia’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup now enter a period of uncertainty. The squad had been building towards a challenging Group H campaign, where they are set to face Spain national football team, Uruguay national football team, and debutants Cape Verde national football team.
It is a difficult group on paper, and the sudden managerial change adds further pressure at a critical moment. With limited time before the tournament begins, the new coach will have minimal opportunity to implement tactical changes, rebuild squad confidence, or establish long term direction.
Saudi Arabia’s World Cup history includes six previous appearances, with their best performance coming in 1994 when they reached the Round of 16 in the United States. That tournament remains a high point in their football history, and ironically, the 2026 edition will again be hosted partly in the United States, adding symbolic significance to their campaign.
Looking further ahead, Saudi Arabia are also set to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a development that reflects their growing influence in global football and long term investment in the sport.
For now, however, attention turns to immediate concerns. A managerial change this close to a World Cup is rare at international level, and all eyes will be on how quickly the new coach can stabilise the squad and whether Saudi Arabia can still mount a competitive campaign despite the disruption.
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