Herve Renard to leave Morocco after 2018 World Cup?

Herve Renard, coach of Morocco and players celebrates a victory during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between Morocco and Ivory Coast at the Oyem Stadium in Gabon on 24 January 2017 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Apr 03, 2018. 15:00

Herve Renard is weighing up the option of leaving Morocco after the 2018 World Cup, according to Al Akhbar.

The Frenchman’s contract with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) runs until the next World Cup in 2022, but it appears he will not remain with the Atlas Lions for that long.

Renard is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in African football, having twice won the Cup of Nations (2012 with Zambia and 2015 with Ivory Coast) as well as successfully taking Morocco back to the global stage for the first time since 1998.

According to a source “close to Renard” the coach has tempting offers on the table from European clubs as well as several federations, including those of the Ivory Coast, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates.

For now, Renard’s focus remains on preparing his team for the tournament in Russia, where they will face Group B opponents Iran, Portugal and Spain.