Former Morocco coach Hervé Renard says he regrets quitting the Atlas Lions coaching, describing it as one of the biggest mistakes of his coaching career.
Having guided Zambia and Ivory Coast to AFCON glories, the French tactician was appointed as Morocco head coach in February 2016 and went on to lead the Atlas Lions to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, marking their return to the global showpiece.
Despite having an existing contact until 2022, the former Ivory Coast opted to relinquish his role as coach of the national team in 2019.
Speaking to Colinterview, Renard affirmed quitting the Morocco job in 2019 was one of the biggest mistakes of his coaching career.
“I had a contract until 2022, but I left in 2019. My answer is clear… I shouldn’t have left, but it was one of those mistakes that can be made.” He said.
For Renard, he was honest when he publicly declared his support for Morocco over France in the 2022 World Cup semi-final. He noted that he had spent three and a half years with most of the Moroccan players who reached the semi-finals under the leadership of Walid Regragui, adding, “I was very happy for them. I was there and watched the matches closely, and the Moroccan fans are exceptional.”
He explained that Moroccans’ passion for football remains unique, saying that this passion can sometimes be excessive, both positively and negatively, but it reflects the distinctiveness of an “exceptional” country. He pointed out that Morocco has now joined the ranks of the world’s footballing elite, occupying eighth place in the FIFA rankings.
