Hervé Renard, the current Ivory Coast coach and former Morocco national team manager, revealed details about his contact with the Senegal Football Federation. He said he received a phone call from a federation official, after which communication stopped completely, and he was never informed of their decision not to hire him.

Patrick Vieira is set to officially take over the Senegal national team, having been appointed as coach of the "Lions of Teranga". However, the French manager was clearly not the only candidate considered by the Senegal Football Federation.

Renard stated in an interview, as cited by "Canal+": "Yes, I received a phone call from the Senegal Football Federation". He added that the two sides never developed a formal offer beyond that initial contact.

Renard explained that he was waiting to hear back from Senegal, but the call never came, and only then did he discover that the federation had chosen another option.

The French coach said: "Nobody told me anything", referring to how his contact with the Senegal Football Federation ended.

Although Renard did not openly express anger at this treatment, his statement revealed the poor communication from the Senegal Football Federation. He was available at the time and not committed to any other national team.

Renard did not wait long, as he soon received an offer to return to his position as Ivory Coast coach. He had led that team to win the African Cup of Nations in 2015.

Speaking about his decision to return to Ivory Coast, Renard said: "Turn the page and move forward".

When asked about the balance of power in African football, Renard ranked Morocco first based on their recent performances on the world stage.

He said: "I believe Morocco is now Africa's top national team in international competitions, and I don't think anyone can deny that, especially when they reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup and the quarterfinals in 2026".

Morocco became the first African and Arab team to reach the World Cup semifinals at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and later reached the quarterfinals at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first African team to reach the World Cup quarterfinals twice. Their journey in the last tournament ended with a 2-0 defeat to France.

Renard added: "On the world stage, Morocco is the best-performing African national team. They have shown the way for other African teams. We must believe in the capabilities of these teams because African football has immense quality".

Renard's words carry particular weight because he knows Moroccan football very well. He coached the Morocco national team from 2016 to 2019.

Renard's praise for Morocco comes from his personal experience with the team. He led the squad for nearly three and a half years and guided Morocco to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, ending the team's 20-year absence from the World Cup.

He said: "I spent three and a half years in Morocco and know this team very well. I believe they have a world-class system and organization, and they lack nothing compared to the best teams in the world".

The French coach emphasized that Morocco's rise in football is not accidental but the result of long-term investment in infrastructure and organizational development.

He stated: "Morocco knows exactly what it's doing and is on an upward trajectory. Other African teams should follow suit. This requires budget and infrastructure, and Africa must continue to invest in this".

Last August, Renard took over as Ivory Coast coach for the second time. More than a decade had passed since he led the team to win the 2015 African Cup of Nations. With two titles won with different national teams, he has become one of the most iconic coaches in the history of this continental competition.

Traduzido por IA.

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