RIYADH — The Saudi Football Federation has officially announced the appointment of French coach Hervé Renard to succeed Italian Roberto Mancini in leading the Saudi national team for the remainder of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Renard is not a stranger to the team; he previously guided the Green Falcons during the last World Cup qualifiers, achieving a historic victory against Argentina that FIFA classified as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The Saudi team is currently in a critical phase regarding its chances for direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup, sitting third in their group with 5 points—tied with Australia and Bahrain. This situation led to a mutual agreement to part ways with Mancini on Thursday. In a video shared on the Saudi national team's X platform, Renard expressed, "I didn't intend to leave, but when your country knock on the door, you have to respond." He added, "My connection with Saudi Arabia, the fans, the players, and all the memories; I can't forget them. I didn't finished my story with Saudi Arabia yet. I'm back." Renard departed from his previous role in March 2023 after serving 3 years and 205 days, coming close to becoming the longest-serving coach of the national team. Following his departure, he took over the French women's national team. During his previous tenure with the Saudi national team, Renard managed 41 matches, securing 20 victories while experiencing 21 setbacks. Under his leadership, the team scored 54 goals, making him the foreign coach with the most historical wins. When Renard began his stint, Saudi Arabia was ranked 68th in the world, and upon his departure, they rose to 49th. Renard also set the record for the longest unbeaten streak in World Cup qualifiers in Saudi history during the 2022 qualifiers, where the national team played 15 matches, winning 12 and drawing 3, while maintaining clean sheets in 11 encounters. Next month, the Saudi national team will face Australia and Indonesia in away matches. According to the Asian qualification system, the top two teams from each group qualify directly for the World Cup, while the third and fourth place teams will advance to the fourth qualifying stage.
