When the appointment of French coach Hervé Renard as manager of the Saudi Arabian national football team was announced in July 2019, a wave of optimism swept through the sporting world. Renard arrived with an impressive resume, most notably having won the Africa Cup of Nations with two different national teams, Zambia (2012) and Ivory Coast (2015), earning him the title of "coach of championships." High hopes were placed on him to end the technical instability that had plagued the Saudi team and to build a long-term project capable of winning titles and achieving a respectable global presence.
General context and the beginning of the journey
Renard took over the national team during a period aimed at preparing for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and building a new generation of players. His first official tournament was the Gulf Cup (Gulf 24) in Qatar in 2019. The team performed well and reached the final, but lost the title to Bahrain by a single goal. While reaching the final was a positive step, losing a title that was within reach in a tournament of historical and popular significance raised the first questions about the coach's ability to win finals with the Green Falcons.
The greatest achievement and the biggest disappointment of the World Cup
The highlight of Renard's career was his successful leadership of the national team in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, where they topped their challenging group, which included strong teams like Japan and Australia. In the World Cup finals in Qatar, the Saudi national team, under his guidance, achieved a historic feat etched in the annals of world football by defeating eventual champions Argentina 2-1. This victory was more than just three points; it was a moment of national and Arab pride that raised expectations sky-high. However, this dream quickly faded as the team failed to capitalize on this victory, losing their next two matches against Poland and Mexico, thus exiting the tournament in the first round. What could have been the beginning of an exceptional journey became merely a historical memory, and the ultimate goal—advancing beyond the group stage—remained unattainable.
The language of numbers and artistic heritage
Beyond the emotional moments, the numbers paint a more realistic picture. During his tenure, which lasted until March 2023, the Saudi national team, under Renard's guidance, played 41 official and friendly matches, achieving 20 victories, 11 draws, and 10 defeats. While the win rate approached 50%, the problem wasn't so much the numbers themselves, but rather the inconsistent performance and lack of a clear attacking identity in crucial moments. The team was characterized by defensive solidity and tactical organization, but struggled to create chances and score goals against well-organized opponents. Renard had all the ingredients for success: administrative stability, unwavering support, and a talented generation of players. However, the final outcome fell short of expectations. He failed to win any titles, and his greatest achievement was a historic victory that ultimately didn't lead to qualification for the knockout stages. Renard then left to coach the French women's national team, leaving behind a complex legacy that combines a memorable historical moment with a general feeling that the project was incomplete.
