Saudi Arabia has parted ways with head coach Hervé Renard on Friday, just under two months ahead of the World Cup.
RMC Sport was the first to report Renard’s dismissal, which the 57-year-old French coach later confirmed to AFP.
Renard, who previously led the Green Falcons to the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, returned in 2024 for a second tenure as the team’s head coach.
During his time in Qatar, Renard oversaw a remarkable victory as Saudi Arabia upset future champions Argentina with a score of 2-1 in a stunning group-stage match.
After his initial stint with Saudi Arabia, Renard transitioned to coach the French women’s national team during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics before returning to lead the Saudi squad again.
The announcement of Renard’s exit comes merely three days after ESPN reported that Matt Crocker is resigning from his position as the U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director to take a similar role with the Saudi Arabian soccer federation.
Saudi Arabia is set to compete in Group H alongside Spain, Cape Verde, and Uruguay in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Their first match is scheduled against Uruguay on June 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.