Saudi media reports have revealed that Xavi Hernández rejected an offer from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to immediately succeed Hervé Renard as coach of the Saudi national team — a decision that closes one door in the federation’s search while opening questions about who will lead the Green Falcons into the 2026 World Cup.
Background: Renard under pressure
Hervé Renard is on the verge of being dismissed from his position as coach of the Green Falcons following a wave of criticism that erupted against him after the Arab Cup, which intensified after a 4-0 friendly defeat to Egypt a few days ago. Renard’s second stint in charge of Saudi Arabia has been defined by inconsistent results and growing public frustration — a stark contrast to his first stint, which produced the 2022 World Cup upset over Argentina.
If Saudi Arabia loses to Serbia or fails to deliver a good performance on Tuesday, it is highly likely that Renard will leave his post just two and a half months before the 2026 World Cup. That timeline — a major tournament less than 90 days away with potential coaching change on the table — is what makes the federation’s search so constrained.
Key details: why Xavi said no
Saudi officials have begun searching for alternative options, and Xavi Hernández’s name has been mentioned, given his familiarity with Gulf football after playing for and coaching Al Sadd for many years. That familiarity made him, on paper, one of the more realistic candidates in the region.
However, the former Barcelona coach did not hesitate to reject the Saudi offer, considering the tight schedule to make the task virtually impossible, and he does not want to experience a failed World Cup campaign. Xavi’s reasoning speaks to a broader coaching calculus: taking a national team job with less than three months before a World Cup means inheriting someone else’s squad, tactical setup and match fitness plan — and taking full public accountability for the result.
The Saudi offer isn’t the first Arab offer Xavi has rejected. He also declined to succeed Walid Regragui as coach of the Moroccan national team, though he remains a candidate for the position after the 2026 World Cup. The pattern points to a coach who is willing to return to an Arab or Gulf project in the future, but on his own timetable rather than as a mid-cycle replacement.
What’s next
It’s worth noting that Walid Regragui is also among the candidates to coach Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, and recent media reports indicate he’s open to the idea and unconcerned about the tight deadline. Regragui’s willingness to consider the job mirrors his track record of taking over the Moroccan national team shortly before Qatar 2022 and still delivering a historic semi-final run.
With Xavi out of the picture, the Saudi federation now faces a narrower shortlist: Regragui, potentially other former Arab and Gulf-region managers who know the squad, or a foreign candidate with a history of rapid-turnaround projects. Whatever the final choice, the federation will also need to decide whether to make the change now — to give any new coach time to install even a basic structure before the World Cup — or stick with Renard until the tournament and accept the associated risks.
