For the second time... Renard leads the Elephants
The Ivorian Football Federation appointed Frenchman Hervé Renard as head coach of the national team for the second time on Tuesday, replacing Emerse Faye, whose contract was not renewed despite leading the Elephants to victory in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations and reaching the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup, the country's best-ever result in the tournament.
Renard, 57, previously coached the national team between 2014 and 2015. He also managed Saudi Arabia twice and, most recently, Tunisia on an interim basis during the World Cup following a heavy 5-1 defeat to Sweden in the opening match and the dismissal of coach Sabri Lamouchi. During that brief period, Renard oversaw two matches, both ending in defeats against Japan (4-0) and the Netherlands (3-1). Hervé Renard returns to the Ivory Coast national team bench after 11 years, where he enjoys immense popularity thanks to leading the generation that included Yaya Touré to victory in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, ending a nearly 25-year wait for the title.
Renard boasts an impressive record in Africa, having previously won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012. He has also managed several national teams, including Ghana, Angola, and Morocco.
However, his recent experiences have yielded mixed results. He was dismissed from his position as coach of the Saudi Arabian national team in April, despite guiding them to qualification for the 2026 World Cup. He also led the French women's national team to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic Games. The Ivorian Football Federation confirmed that Renard will arrive in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital, in the coming days to officially assume his duties.