Saudi Arabian coach Hervé Renard has returned to Saudi Arabia for a second term in charge of the national team that has faltered in 2026 World Cup qualification, but where the expectations of a football-loving nation are sky high.
The Frenchman, a renowned tactician, discusses Saudi Arabia’s guest appearance in the Concacaf Gold Cup, balancing World Cup qualifiers, and the rising profile of Saudi football on the international stage.
Saudi Arabia will be in Group D alongside the hosts U.S.A, Haiti and Trinidad & Tobago. Renard was speaking at a pre-Gold Cup media day earlier this week.
Q: What would be your goal for this tournament and what are your expectations of this Gold Cup?
Renard: We are very pleased to participate in this tournament. It’s always important at the international level to play against different teams. We already played against the USA a few years ago, and Trinidad and Tobago in a friendly, but we don’t know most of the teams participating in this tournament, so it will be a very good experience.
Like most teams, we have very important World Cup qualifiers coming up in the next 10 days. This will be our first step, a very important first step (before the Gold Cup starts). And I think you know as well, seven players from our selection will be participating in the Club World Cup because they play for Al-Hilal, so we’ll participate in the Gold Cup without them. However, this will be good for me to see some other players and to share this international experience.
Q. In your point of view, how has soccer evolved in Saudi Arabia?
Renard: I first came to Saudi Arabia in 2019 to coach the national team. In the six years since, football has improved tremendously in this country in terms of clubs. But you can imagine, when there are many foreign players in the league, it’s actually a disadvantage for the national team. We are struggling a bit with our players’ playing time. So while the league is stronger, we need to maintain our national team at the same level as four years ago for the last World Cup (when the Saudis famously beat eventual winners Argentina in the group stage).
We’ve had to renew the team because some players aren’t getting minutes at their clubs, so this is the most difficult challenge at the moment. When I returned six months ago, I knew the situation, so I accepted the challenge. I hope we’ll be able to qualify for the next World Cup – it would be a very good achievement for us once again.
Q; You have the longest trip and unfamiliar opponents. How do you make sure the motivation and morale of the team stays high, regardless of what happens in the qualifiers?
Renard: In football, when you’re in a good mental state, it’s easier to play good football. But we don’t know what will happen in our next two qualifying games. First, we need to focus on these World Cup qualifiers, and after that it will be a second step with a different squad.
The Gold Cup will be a good experience to prepare for our next matches, whether that’s preparing for the World Cup or for playoffs if we’re not already qualified. This is part of football – you always have to manage both the good times and the difficult times. It’s the same for all coaches.
We need to stay focused on our job and remember we are wearing the shirt of our national team. That’s most important. There are no excuses when you enter a tournament to say “our morale was down.” That’s not football – you always have to be ready for competition.
Q: What would be your evaluation of the group you’re in? It’s definitely a tough group with Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and of course, the United States as the powerhouse. What is your evaluation of your opponents for the first three games?
Renard: It won’t be an easy group, of course. But all coaches would say the same because we respect all teams, and this is true. We know Trinidad and Tobago because we played against them a few months ago. We saw players with very good quality. They also have a coach with a lot of experience, which is important for them.
I know the French coach of Haiti very well because I used to play with him a long time ago. I know they will be very motivated against Saudi Arabia. And of course, with the USA under coach Pochettino, they will be the favorites to win the group. I’m sure all three teams will have to fight for qualification to the next round, so it will be a very interesting competition.
Q: How do you see the excitement of the fan base of the Saudis with their national team?
Renard: Saudi Arabia is a country crazy about football, I can tell you. If you’ve never been to Saudi Arabia, you can’t imagine their passion for football. When they watch the Concacaf Gold Cup and also the Club World Cup, where Al-Hilal will participate, they will be focused on both competitions because they are very passionate about football.
They want us to be part of the next World Cup, so they put a bit of pressure on us, but that’s normal.
Q: What would a good Gold Cup result be for Saudi Arabia?
Renard: Of course, I’m a competitor, and the best possible result would make it the best tournament. But we never know what can happen. We’ll have a new squad and will try some new players, but at the same time, we need to be strong competitors.
The first step is to reach the knockout round – that’s most important for us. If we qualify for the next round, then we can talk about new goals, but first, we must concentrate on the group stage.
Q: In North America, we think of you as someone who’s had much success in continental championships with AFCON and other knockout competitions. How can that personal experience help in this continental Championship, even though it’s one you’ve never participated in before?
Renard: I like this kind of competition. I’ve participated in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, two men’s World Cups, one Women’s World Cup, and one Olympic Games, so I enjoy these major competitions. For me, this is football. You always need to compete and do the best possible. If you don’t have this spirit in football, it’s difficult to achieve anything.
We are lucky to participate in this tournament. Thank you for the invitation—it’s a great honour for us. We need to perform at the level of the competition and show our best face. That’s most important.
We don’t need to look too far ahead. We need to focus on this first round, play the best football possible, and show a very good image of Saudi Arabian football. That will be our first goal. And of course, if we can play against the strongest teams in this tournament, it will be a very good experience for us.
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