A Saudi media outlet has dropped a major bombshell, confirming that an Arab national team has been in talks with Frenchman Hervé Renard, the manager of the Saudi national team, to lead them at the 2026 World Cup finals, ahead of Ghana.
The French newspaper “L’Équipe” had previously reported that the Ghana Football Association wished to sign Renard to lead the senior team during the 2026 World Cup finals, following the sacking of their manager Otto Addo this March.
Saudi journalist Mohammed Al-Khamis revealed, on the programme “Fi 90” on “Saudi Sports Channels”, that the Algerian national team had also been in talks with Renard to take charge, following the conclusion of the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar at the end of last year.
He explained: “I have information that, since the end of the Arab Cup, more than one national team has been in talks with Renard and has opened lines of communication with him, such as the Algerian national team, and now the Ghanaian national team.”
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He added: “Renard has announced that should an offer to coach the Ghana national team come in, he is prepared to take on the role without any financial conditions, out of love for the experience he had with them previously.”
The French coach began his journey on the African continent in 2007, when he was appointed assistant coach to Frenchman Claude Le Roy with the Ghana national team, before going on to have several stints on the continent, most notably with the Zambia national team, with whom he won the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
