Côte d'Ivoire: Hervé Renard opens up about his decision and ambitions as Elephants boss

Back at the helm of the Côte d'Ivoire national team, Hervé Renard has set his sights on the upcoming AFCON tournaments in 2027 and 2028, as well as the 2030 World Cup. He made his intentions clear at Thursday’s press conference.

Eleven years after his first spell, Hervé Renard faced the Ivorian media this Thursday, following his official presentation as the new head coach of the Elephants. Hungry for silverware, Renard is determined to add to his trophy cabinet, which has remained untouched since 2015—the year he clinched his last major title with Côte d'Ivoire. “We know the work that lies ahead, with these two consecutive AFCONs (2027, 2028, editor’s note). (…) This is a team built to win trophies, and the demand for excellence must be at its peak to achieve the best possible results.” he declared.

Under contract until 2028, Hervé Renard also hopes to lead the Orange at the 2030 World Cup, to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. “We need to focus on those small details that allow us to keep winning on the continent and, hopefully, even though the contract is for two years, have the chance and honor to take part in a World Cup with the Elephants. But that’s something further down the road.” he added.

See also: 2030 World Cup final: Morocco and Infantino, Spanish government surprised

Hervé Renard wants to break new ground with the Elephants

The new Côte d'Ivoire manager intends to address the shortcomings that cost the Ivorians dearly at the 2026 World Cup, notably lapses in concentration that led to an early exit in the round of 16. “This is a team with a lot of quality, which faced top-class opponents at the last World Cup. They managed to compete, but perhaps struggled to control the end of matches, especially against Germany and Norway. I’d say the foundation of football is also to be more disciplined collectively before talking about individual talents. (…) There’s a lot of talent here, but what makes a team strong is its collective value above all. We need to find that extra spark that allows us to achieve the best possible results.” the French tactician explained.

Renard, the reasons behind his return to Côte d'Ivoire

Still addressing the media on Thursday, Hervé Renard revealed the behind-the-scenes story and his reasons for returning to the Ivorian bench. According to him, two factors swayed his decision over offers from Senegal and Algeria.

“The federation took its time after the World Cup. There was certainly an evaluation, and a decision was made to move forward with someone else, and at that point, we got in touch. It didn’t take long, because when Côte d'Ivoire calls you, to be honest, there’s not much to think about—especially with the quality this team showed by winning AFCON 2023, having a very strong qualifying campaign, and a good World Cup. This is the pinnacle of African football. We need to focus on those small details that allow us to keep winning on the continent and, hopefully, even though the contract is for two years, have the chance and honor to take part in a World Cup with the Elephants. But that’s something further down the line.” Renard confided.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.

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