Herve Renard led Saudi Arabia to play out a thrilling encounter with World Cup favorites Argentina. They ended La Albiceleste’s 36-game unbeaten run with a 2-1 win. Lionel Messi’s penalty put the South American side in front. But a second half come back saw Saudi Arabia score two quickfire goals shortly after halftime, and win 2-1.
SAUDI ARABIA JUST BEAT ARGENTINA 2-1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/4JONXWUvhd
— GOAL (@goal) November 22, 2022
In response to this monumental win, Saudi Arabia’s King announced a state holiday. Their next match is against Poland before they face Mexico. Their coach Herve Renard has also been in the news for his viral speech which motivated his team’s players to beat international super giants Argentina.
Saudi Arabia’s coach goes berserk in the locker room
Saudi Arabia’s first-half performance was not up to the mark. They held a good offside line but let Argentina have too many chances. They also lacked a cutting edge in their attack. Messi’s penalty seemed to deflate the side, but they came out reinvigorated for the second half. This has been attributed to their manager, Herve Renard, whose halftime talk has gone viral.
View this post on Instagram
“Messi, he has the ball in the middle of the pitch and you stand [hands up] in front of the defense. You have to go and mark him in the middle. Take your phone, you can make a picture with him! You don’t feel we are able to come back? You don’t feel it? You’re playing relaxed. Come on guys, this is the World Cup. Give everything,” the manager said to a dejected dressing room.
The team came out in the second half and quickly scored two goals. Argentina could not find its way past a dogged Saudi Arabian defense for the remaining half hour. Saudi Arabia finished top of their group after the first round of fixtures, following Poland and Mexico‘s draw.
Who is Herve Renard and how much is he worth?
Herve Renard is a French manager, who became the Saudi Arabian manager in 2019. He had a 15-year career as a football player between 1983-1998. He played in French teams Cannes, Stade de Vallauris, and SC Draguignan. His management career started soon after, coaching the same team he played, right after his retirement.
Internationally he has managed Zambia, Angola, and Ivory Coast, before joining Saudi Arabia’s national side. Domestically he has coached Ligue 1 side Lille and current League One side Cambridge United. According to certain outlets, Renard earns around $1 million per year in Saudi Arabia. His estimated net worth is around $1.5 million before he joined the Saudi Arabian national side.
