Herve Renard has been appointed head coach of Cote d’Ivoire, returning to the side he guided to Africa Cup of Nations glory in 2015 and reuniting with midfielders Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare.
The 57-year-old’s appointment was confirmed by the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF) on Tuesday, after his arrival had been widely expected.
Renard returns to the Elephants 11 years after leaving the role and will take charge of a squad containing two players he worked with during his first spell, which ran from June 2014 to May 2015. Kessie and Sangare were not part of the Cote d’Ivoire team that won the continental title in Equatorial Guinea in 2015.
The Frenchman, known for his trademark white shirt, has now taken charge of the national side for a second time. His previous tenure ended with Cote d’Ivoire’s second Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
The appointment fulfils a long-standing ambition of FIF president Idriss Diallo, according to investigative journalist Romain Molina. Renard had previously been approached to succeed the late Jean-Louis Gasset after Gasset left his post during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
That move did not happen because the Federation Francaise de Football (FFF) refused to release Renard, who was under contract as manager of the France women’s national team.
Renard was available after an unsuccessful short-term rescue mission with Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup. Following the resignation of Emerse Fae, there appeared to be no obstacle to his return to Cote d’Ivoire.
He had also been attracting interest from Senegal, while his name had been mentioned as a possible option for Algeria.
The FIF said Renard would be formally introduced to the media and the sporting public at a news conference. The federation added that the date, time and venue would be announced later.
His appointment brings back the coach who delivered Cote d’Ivoire’s first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1992. Renard had already won the competition with Zambia in 2012 before leading the Elephants to victory three years later.
The return also gives him the chance to work again with experienced members of Cote d’Ivoire’s midfield, although neither Kessie nor Sangare was involved in the 2015 triumph. Both players were previously known to Renard from his opening period in charge, before becoming established figures in the national team.
Renard’s appointment follows a period of uncertainty around the Cote d’Ivoire job after Fae’s resignation. His eventual selection came despite reported interest from other major African football nations and marks a renewed relationship between the coach and the federation.
The FIF’s full statement was: « Il sera presente aux medias et au public sportif lors d’une conference de presse dont la date, l’heure et le lieu seront communiques ulterieurement ».
