Rabat – French coach Hervé Renard says leaving Morocco’s national team in 2019 was a mistake. Speaking in a recent interview on Colin Interview on YouTube, he admitted his decision to step down was wrong.
Renard explained that his contract with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation ran until 2022, but he chose to leave three years early. Looking back, he said he should have stayed, and what happened after confirmed to him that leaving was an error.
Renard was appointed head coach in February 2016. At that time, the team had not reached a World Cup since 1998. Under his leadership, Morocco qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, ending a 20‑year absence and marking a major achievement for the Atlas Lions.
Renard’s time in charge also brought structure and confidence to the squad. He helped develop a core of talented players, giving young stars opportunities that would make them references in Moroccan football.
Names like Achraf Hakimi and Youssef En-Nesyri began to emerge more prominently during his tenure, becoming key figures for the team both then and in the years that followed.
Despite these successes, Morocco’s run in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations ended in disappointment when they were knocked out early. Shortly after that exit, Renard made the decision to leave, even though his contract still had time left.
At the time, he spoke about closing a “chapter” of his life, but now he admits that quitting was a misstep.
In looking back, Renard described his experience in Morocco as largely positive, but he made it clear that his departure was a professional error.
His journey with the Atlas Lions remains a defining chapter in his career, marked by historic qualification and the lasting growth of the team he led.
