PARIS — French coach Herve Renard has been appointed to guide France’s women’s team at the World Cup this summer then at the Paris Olympics next year.
The 54-year-old Renard quit as coach of Saudi Arabia´s national team earlier this week, ending a four-year spell highlighted by a win over eventual champion Argentina in the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar last year.
His departure was confirmed following Tuesday’s 2-1 friendly defeat by Bolivia. Renard has signed a contract with France through to the 2024 Olympics in his first job coaching a women’s team.
He signed a contract that runs until August 2024, the French federation said according to AP.
The Women’s World Cup is scheduled to be played from July 20-Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Renard replaces Corinne Diacre, who was fired only four months before the tournament after several players expressed their discontent with her. She led the team to the quarter-finals at the last Women´s World Cup in 2019.
Diacre was removed from her role at the start of March after her position was weakened following a revolt by leading players.
She was under contract until 2024 but came under serious pressure after captain Wendie Renard announced she would no longer play for the team, with fellow stars Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto following suit.
Renard has had great success at the international level. He surprisingly guided Zambia to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012, and then repeated the feat with Côte d’Ivoire three years later.
The former Lille and Sochaux coach also helped Morocco qualify for the 2018 World Cup. It was the first time in 20 years Morocco had reached the tournament.
France has four friendlies before starting their World Cup campaign against Jamaica in Sydney on July 23.
Renard’s first game at the helm will be on April 7 against Colombia with another match four days later against Olympic champions Canada.
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