Herve Renard returns as head coach of Saudi Arabia's national football team

The Saudi Arabian national team has announced the reappointment of Frenchman Herve Renard as their coach, replacing Roberto Mancini.

The 56-year-old, who was in charge of the Saudis from 2019 to 2023, takes over from Italian Mancini, who left the position on Oct 24 by mutual agreement after 14 months in the job.

“I am back,” Renard, clad in Saudi traditional costume, said in a video published on the Saudi national team’s X social media account.

His contract runs until the end of 2025, with an option to extend through the 2027 Asian Cup, the team said in a statement.

Renard had left his job with the Saudis to lead France’s women’s team at the World Cup and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 56-year-old stepped down from that role in August, following France’s quarter-final exit at the hands of Brazil at the Paris Games. They also lost at the quarter-final stage of the 2023 World Cup, where co-hosts Australia triumphed in a penalty shoot-out.

“I did not intend to leave. But when your country knock on your door, you have to respond,” he said in the video.

During his first spell, he led Saudi Arabia to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they surprisingly beat eventual champions Argentina in their opener.

“I did not finish my story with Saudi yet. And thank God, I am back,” added the Frenchman.

Renard’s biggest successes have come in Africa, having led Zambia to a shock Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012. He repeated the feat in 2015, this time with the Ivory Coast, making him the first coach to win the tournament with different teams.

Before taking on the Saudi job for the first time, he led Morocco to the 2018 World Cup, the first time they had reached the showpiece since 1998.

He will resume his duties with the Saudis on Oct 27, with their next World Cup qualifiers away to Australia and Indonesia in November kicking off his second stint, the team added.

Saudi Arabia are third in Group C of Asia’s third round of World Cup 2026 qualifiers with five points. They are five points adrift of group leaders Japan after four matches.

They lost 2-0 at home to Japan on Oct 10 before being held to a scoreless draw by Bahrain five days later.

The knives were out for former Manchester City, Inter Milan and Italy coach Mancini after those results, with talks on his exit beginning after the Japan defeat. He is reportedly due between €20 million (S$28.5 million) and €25 million in compensation.

Under the Italian, the Green Falcons have dropped five places to 59th in the Fifa rankings.

The top two in each group advance automatically to the World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed sides go into another round of qualifiers, with the bottom two finishers eliminated. , AFP