By Kwame Bediako
French coach Hervé Renard has been dismissed as Saudi Arabia’s national team manager, confirming he won’t lead the Green Falcons at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Saudi FA acted with immediate effect despite his contract running to 2027, as Renard personally verified to AFP.
Renard returned in 2024 after a brief, disappointing France women’s stint, quarterfinal exits at the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Paris Olympics. Recent friendlies woes, including losses to Serbia (2-1) and Egypt (4-0), sealed his fate amid pressure cooker prep.
Saudi Arabia, drawn in Group H with Uruguay, Spain, and Cape Verde, now hunts a replacement for the North American tournament (June 11-July 19). Renard’s 2022 Qatar heroics, stunning eventual champs Argentina, contrast sharply with this abrupt exit.
The timing shocks: under two months from kickoff, the move risks destabilizing the Asian side’s campaign. Walid Regragui rumors swirl as a potential successor.
Football’s carousel spins wildly, leaving the double AFCON winner jobless at football’s pinnacle, highlighting the cutthroat stakes even for proven tacticians.
