‘Like I never left this team,’ says Herve Renard ahead of first game back in charge of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia will play their first game under the leadership of Herve Renard

Renard has returned to manage the Green Falcons for a second time

Herve Renard has said he feels like he never left the Saudi Arabia national team as he prepares to take charge of his first game since returning as manager. The Frenchman spent three years in charge of the Green Falcons between 2019 and 2022, leading them to victory at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He left his role after the World Cup, but has now returned to replace compatriot Laurent Blanc, who was sacked in March after just over a year in charge.

Renard is a popular figure in Saudi Arabia, and his return has been met with great excitement by fans and players alike. Speaking ahead of his first game back in charge, against North Macedonia on Thursday, he said: "I'm very happy to be back. It feels like I never left. The players have welcomed me back with open arms, and I'm looking forward to working with them again." Renard is expected to make several changes to the team that played under Blanc, with a number of players who were frozen out of the squad set to be recalled. He is also likely to implement a more attacking style of play, which is sure to please the Saudi fans.

Saudi Arabia will be hoping to start their new era under Renard with a victory against North Macedonia. The Macedonians are ranked 65th in the FIFA World Rankings, but they will be no pushovers. They have a number of talented players, including Eljif Elmas of Napoli and Darko Velkovski of Spezia. Renard knows that it will be a tough game, but he is confident that his team can get the win.

He said: "We know that North Macedonia are a good team, but we are confident that we can beat them. We have a lot of quality in our squad, and we are ready to fight for the victory." Saudi Arabia will be looking to build momentum ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar. They are one of the favorites to win the tournament, and Renard will be hoping to lead them to their fourth Asian title.