Saudi coach Renard labels Iraq game most important of his career
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Group B - Indonesia v Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - October 8, 2025 Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard REUTERS/Stringer
JEDDAH :Herve Renard has called Saudi Arabia's World Cup qualifying clash with Iraq in Jeddah on Tuesday the most important game of his coaching career as they stand on the cusp of a place at next year's finals.
The Frenchman, twice a winner of the African Cup of Nations and whose Saudi side beat Argentina at the last World Cup, will lead his team into the clash needing only a draw to secure a berth at a seventh World Cup for the Gulf state.
"What we did before, it's nothing up to now because if we don't achieve our goal tomorrow you won't remember the game against Indonesia, the game we played in Bahrain so the most important is tomorrow," said Renard.
"This game, for me, it's the most important game in my career. I will explain to you after the game."
RENARD IN SECOND SPELL AS SAUDI COACH
Renard is in his second spell as Saudi coach having returned to replace Roberto Mancini during the previous round of preliminaries to resurrect the team's World Cup hopes after a series of disappointing performances under the Italian.
Saudi Arabia lead Group B of the fourth round of Asia's preliminaries on goals scored after the Saudis and Iraq secured wins over Indonesia.
The Saudis hold a slim advantage in the standings due to their 3-2 victory over Patrick Kluivert's side, who the Iraqis beat 1-0.
The group winners qualify directly for the finals, where they will join Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Uzbekistan and Jordan as Asia's representatives.
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar meet in Doha in Group A, also on Tuesday, to determine the other Asian qualifier with the runners-up in the two groups due to meet in November for a spot in an intercontinental playoff.
"I'm lucky because I have some players with experience like Saleh Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Dawsari our captain, now Hassan Al-Tambakthi is getting more experience," said Renard.
"I always tell them to stay focused. It's not always easy with the Saudi players, but the most important is when they are listening, so we prepare for this game very quietly.
"We are concentrated on our goal and we don't have to do something else, just focus on us."
Iraq coach Graham Arnold confirmed talismanic striker Aymen Hussein would be fit after missing the win over Indonesia on Saturday.
"They have in their brain two ways to qualify, that is draw or win," Arnold said of the Saudis. "We have one way and that's win. So our full focus is going out and go for it."
