Hervé Renard, the current coach of the Saudi Arabian national football team, has opened up about his recent coaching opportunities in African football. He revealed that he was in talks to become the coach of Senegal, the reigning African Cup of Nations champions, and Nigeria, but ultimately, both negotiations fell through due to unfavorable conditions. Renard expressed a desire to take on the challenge with Senegal, yet acknowledged that circumstances prevented him from doing so, leading to the appointment of Aliou Cissé's former assistant as the new coach.

Furthermore, Renard noted that his chances of successfully leading Nigeria to qualification for the 2026 World Cup were quite slim, a prediction that turned out to be accurate as Nigeria was eliminated by the Democratic Republic of Congo in the playoff qualifiers. This reflection points to the high stakes and pressures involved in coaching national teams, particularly in crucial qualification matches.

Despite these setbacks, Renard remains optimistic about his future in African football, attributing his past successes in the continent— including winning the African Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015—as reasons for his desire to return. He aims to leverage his experience and success to positively impact African football once again, indicating his enduring connection and commitment to the sport in Africa.