Herve Renard completes surprise return as Saudi coach

Renard succeeds the Italian in the Gulf kingdom's football hot seat after a spell in charge of France's women's Olympic team at the Paris Games. Renard, who managed the Saudis between 2019 and 2023, has signed a two-year contract, a source close to the negotiations revealed.

"His return has sparked a lot of controversy but the fact that he knows the team well was the deciding factor in his return," the Saudi source said. "Let's hope he corrects the situation for the World Cup qualifiers."

"I've never forgotten the connection between the public and the country and all the memories," Renard said in a Saudi association video posted on social media. "My story with Saudi Arabia is not over, I'm back," the Frenchman added.

Renard led the Saudis to a shock win over eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup but he left in March last year to take over France's women's team.

The 56-year-old stepped down from that role in August following France's quarter-final exit to Brazil at the Paris Olympics. Italy's Mancini took over from Renard as Saudi coach but he left on Thursday after 14 months due to poor results.

The knives were out for the former Manchester City and Inter Milan boss after a home defeat to Japan and a draw with Gulf rivals Bahrain in 2026 World Cup qualifying. Talks on Mancini's exit began after the Japan defeat.

Building a strong national team is a priority for the oil-rich Saudis who splashed more than a billion dollars on players last year and are the sole bidders for the 2034 World Cup.