Frenchman Herve Renard has announced his departure from coaching the Saudi national team, just a few months before the start of the 2026 World Cup.
Renard confirmed his decision in statements to AFP, saying: “Yes, I have been dismissed from coaching Saudi Arabia, that’s football. The national team has qualified for the World Cup seven times, including twice with me, and I am the only coach who led the team in the qualifiers and the World Cup together in the 2022 edition, and this will remain a source of pride for me.”
The French coach had led the Saudi national team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, achieving the feat of qualifying for two consecutive editions. He also oversaw their participation in the 2022 World Cup held in Qatar.
The 2022 edition witnessed one of the Saudi national team’s most memorable moments, when they achieved a historic 2-1 victory over Argentina in the group stage. The match remains etched in memory despite Argentina’s eventual triumph in the tournament.
With this decision, Renard will not be making his third consecutive appearance at the World Cup. He previously participated with the Moroccan national team in the 2018 edition, and then with Saudi Arabia in 2022.
