The Saudi Arabia national football team is facing a major decision. There is a possibility of a change in the position of coach Hervé Renard (57).
Saudi outlet Al Riyadh reported on the 18th (Korea time) that the Saudi Football Federation board is considering dismissing French-born Hervé Renard from his role as head coach of the national team. According to the report, the federation is considering appointing a new coach ahead of full preparations for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) CONCACAF World Cup.
Candidates for the next head coach have also been mentioned. The outlet said that one of the coaches from the Saudi Professional League is being considered as a strong candidate, and at the same time the possibility of appointing a new foreign coach taking charge in the Saudi scene for the first time is open. It said they are looking for someone who matches the stature of Saudi football, its recent growth, and fans' expectations.
Coach Renard showed a calm response recently when asked about his future. After Saudi failed to reach the final of the 2025 Arab Cup, he said, "I have a contract and I will continue my work," adding, "If someone says my job is finished, I'll just go somewhere else. That's the life of football."
Renard's current contract runs through the final of the 2027 Asian Cup. He analyzed the Arab Cup semifinal loss to Jordan (0-1) by saying, "We had 69% possession and we knew the opponent's strategy. But we did not succeed defensively and we failed to take our chances."
Saudi were eliminated after losing 0-1 to Jordan in the Arab Cup semifinal held at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar on the 16th. The Saudi national team will play the third-place match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at Khalifa International Stadium on the 19th.
Attention is focused on whether coach Renard will stay with Saudi through the World Cup roadmap or whether another turning point will occur.
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