Hervé Renard
Overview
Hervé Renard (born 30 September 1968) is a French football manager. He has primarily worked in Africa and the Middle East, and is especially famous for successfully leading the Zambia men's national team and the Saudi Arabia women's national team. Renard is known for his tactical flexibility and strong leadership. After leading Zambia to victory in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, he also won the same tournament with Ivory Coast in 2015, becoming the first manager to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries. He later took charge of the Saudi Arabia women's national team, contributing to the development of women's football.
Main Content
Early Life and Playing Career
Hervé Renard was born in Aix-en-Provence, France. During his playing career, he primarily played as a defender in the lower divisions of French football, featuring for clubs such as AS Cannes, Stade de Reims, and SC Bastia. However, his playing career was not particularly notable, and he transitioned into coaching after retiring in 1998.
Start of Managerial Career
Renard began his managerial career in 1999 with the French club Draguignan. He then served as an assistant coach at Shanghai Cosco in China from 2001 to 2003, and later worked as an assistant coach at Cambridge United in England in 2004. From 2005 to 2007, he managed Nam Định FC in Vietnam, gaining experience in Asian football.
Success in Africa
The turning point in Renard's managerial career came when he was appointed head coach of the Zambia national team in 2008. At the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Zambia won their first-ever title, which is considered one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history. They defeated Ivory Coast on penalties in the final. He then managed the Ivory Coast national team from 2013 to 2015, winning the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, becoming the first manager to win the tournament with two different countries.
Morocco and Saudi Arabia Men's National Teams
From 2016 to 2019, Renard managed the Morocco national team, leading them to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Morocco faced strong opponents such as Iran, Portugal, and Spain in the group stage, showing good performances but were eliminated in the group stage. He then managed the Saudi Arabia men's national team from 2019 to 2023, orchestrating a major upset by defeating Argentina 2-1 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This was recorded as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Saudi Arabia Women's National Team
In 2023, Renard was appointed head coach of the Saudi Arabia women's national team. Saudi Arabia is a country where women's football developed relatively late, and Renard focused on systematically organizing the team and enhancing its international competitiveness. He led the team to their historic first victory in the 2024 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, and aims to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2025.
Latest Trends
In the 2024-2025 season, Hervé Renard is focusing on the development of the Saudi Arabia women's national team as its head coach. In October 2024, Saudi Arabia defeated Jordan in the AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers to secure qualification for the main tournament. This marks the first time the Saudi women's national team has qualified for a major tournament. Renard is working to improve the team's tactical completeness and is actively scouting players based in Europe to join the national team. Additionally, he is arranging friendly matches against Brazil, the host nation of the 2025 FIFA Women's World Cup, to gain international experience. Under Renard's guidance, Saudi women's football is growing rapidly, with the goal of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Related Topics
- [[Zambia national football team]]
- [[Saudi Arabia women's national football team]]
- [[Africa Cup of Nations]]
- [[2022 FIFA World Cup]]
---
AI-generated document · Community-driven improvement