Khaberni - The curtain has been drawn on the Frenchman Hervé Renard's mission with the Saudi national team, according to various media reports.
Hervé Renard returned to lead the Saudi national team again in November 2024, noting that he had previously led "Al-Akhdar" in the last edition of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they were eliminated in the group stage, despite the historic 2-1 victory over Argentina.
French channel "RMC Sport" revealed that Hervé Renard was sacked from his position as coach of the Saudi national team today, Friday, less than two months before the start of the World Cup scheduled from June 11 to July 19.
It added that Renard is no longer the coach of the Saudi national team and his dismissal was decided by the president of the Saudi Football Federation, and therefore he will not be part of the technical staff for the team at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
In turn, the Saudi newspaper "Al-Sharq Al-Awsat" revealed that the Saudi Football Federation reached a final agreement with Greek coach Georgios Donis, coach of Al-Khaleej club, to take over the leadership of the Saudi national team in the coming period.
It added that the official announcement of the appointment of Georgios Donis as coach of the Saudi national team will take place in the next two days, after completing the final touches on signing the contract.
Donis will succeed Frenchman Hervé Renard in leading "Al-Akhdar", becoming the 60th coach in the history of the Saudi national team.
Donis’s mission with the Saudi national team is scheduled to begin on May 22 after the current season ends on May 21, where he will lead the team’s final preparations for the World Cup and oversee a friendly match against Ecuador as his first official task.
The duration of the contract has not yet been determined, but expectations suggest that he will be present with the Saudi national team at the Gulf Cup scheduled in Jeddah in September, then the Asian Cup in January 2027 planned to take place in Saudi Arabia as well.
The 56-year-old Greek coach has previous experience in Saudi football, having led Al Hilal during a successful period in the 2015-2016 season.
Donis also managed Sharjah clubs in the UAE in 2017, Al Wehda in the Saudi season 2021, then Al Fateh in 2022, before settling at Al Khaleej in 2024, and he is still in his position to date.
