France hires Renard as women's coach ahead of World Cup

PARIS (AP) — French coach Hervé 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.

He signed a contract that runs until August 2024, the French federation said Thursday.

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 quarterfinals at the last Women’s World Cup in 2019.

Renard has had great success at the international level. He surprisingly guided Zambia to its first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012, then repeated the feat with Ivory Coast 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.

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