The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has decided to dismiss coach Hervé Renard from his position as head coach of the national team, effective immediately after the conclusion of the Green Falcons’ participation in the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar.
Saudi Arabia exited the tournament in the semi-finals following a 1-0 defeat to Jordan. They are scheduled to face the UAE on Thursday in the third-place match.
In a press conference before the UAE match, Renard stated that Saudi Arabia hadn’t won a title in 22 years and that this wasn’t his fault. He also suggested that the lack of consistent playing time for local players in the Saudi league, due to the presence of talented foreign players, was a contributing factor to the national team’s decline.
It appears that Renard’s recent statements, coupled with public anger towards him, prompted the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to terminate his contract early and search for a new coach to lead the national team in the 2026 World Cup.
According to the newspaper Al-Riyadh, the prevailing opinion within the Saudi Arabian Football Federation is to appoint a coach familiar with the intricacies of Saudi football and currently working in the Roshan League.
It is likely that Al-Nassr coach Jorge Jesus is the most likely candidate to take over the Saudi national team, especially given his extensive experience in Saudi Arabia across three stints with Al-Hilal (twice) and currently with Al-Nassr. Furthermore, his relationship with local players has been, and continues to be, exceptional.
It is worth noting that Renard led Saudi Arabia to the 2022 World Cup, where the team defeated Argentina but lost to Poland and Mexico. He then left to coach the French women’s national team before being brought back to lead the Saudi national team last year, succeeding Roberto Mancini.
Renard managed to repeat the feat, qualifying Saudi Arabia for the 2026 World Cup. However, this time he faced heavy criticism due to the team’s lackluster performance throughout the past year, culminating in their showing at the 2025 Arab Cup.
It’s worth noting that Saudi Arabia is in a tough group at the 2026 World Cup, alongside European champions Spain, Uruguay, and Cape Verde.
