An old foe of the Matildas is back to derail the Socceroos’ World Cup hopes

Herve Renard somehow manages to exude the vibe of both James Bond and a Bond villain. He is suave and sophisticated, charismatic and confident, and, as an international football specialist, would have a 007-esque collection of stamps in his passport. But there’s something in his smirk which hints at impending danger as if he’s scheming three steps ahead of everyone else.

The Frenchman would be best known to Australians for two reasons. First, the viral speech he delivered to Saudi Arabia’s players at half-time of their 2022 World Cup showdown with Argentina, in which Renard accused them of being star-struck, and facetiously told them to take their phones out for the second half so they could take a selfie with Lionel Messi. It was incredible. They won 2-1, the biggest upset in World Cup history. He became an instant Saudi legend.

He’s back: Herve Renard.Credit: Getty

He only left that job because his country came calling, which brings us to the second reason: Renard steered France at last year’s Women’s World Cup when he was plotting Australia’s downfall in the quarter-finals. Australia won that epic penalty shootout, after which he declared he and his team would be waiting for the Matildas at Paris 2024, hoping for a chance at revenge. It never came.

“We can say the score is 1-1,” he said on Wednesday, pointing out that his Saudi team qualified for Qatar 2022 ahead of Australia while acknowledging his unfinished business in this country. “Tomorrow is another context.”

There’s an alternate universe in which Renard would be coaching the Socceroos in Melbourne. He was floated as a possible candidate to replace Graham Arnold when the latter handed in his resignation two months ago, but he never received a call from Football Australia. Tony Popovic was quickly appointed to the role.

“I was free,” he said.

“So my name was on the list, but I think the Australian federation chose very quickly your coach. He’s started very well. I’m very happy to come back with the Saudi team.”

Villain it is.

Popovic has done his homework on his opposite number, who begins his second stint in charge of Saudi Arabia on Thursday night. He has not only reviewed how the Green Falcons played under Renard the first time around, but also how he set up Les Bleues at both the World Cup and the Olympics, and what hints that might provide as to his approach here, in this almost winner-takes-all World Cup qualifier.

“He obviously has a lot of experience with the team. He did a very good job with them. Fantastic at the World Cup, as we know,” Popovic said.

“We’ve monitored what he did in both jobs. We know what’s coming. We have to match that enthusiasm, that energy, but have the patience and calmness to play our football at the right moments and identify what the game is presenting.

“If they play a higher line, as they did at the World Cup, to identify those moments. If they sit deeper, to identify the patience we need. Be aware of talented individuals that like to do things on their own because they can. Be aware of that, but know that we feel it’s in our hands. Here at our home stadium, our crowd, the players look calm and confident. I want to see that in their performance.”

Save for the absence of the suspended Craig Goodwin, the Socceroos will be at full strength, while the Saudis will be without several key players - including their biggest star, Al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari, who has scored three times against Australia in previous meetings but misses this one due to injury.

Popovic’s side currently sit second in Group C on five points, tied with their next two opponents, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, who they meet on Wednesday morning (AEDT) in Riffa. If they can win both, they will finish the window on 11 points, while the Saudis and Bahrain will have a maximum of eight. That will mean the Socceroos could clinch their spot at the 2026 World Cup as soon as March, when they will face Indonesia (home) and China (away); meanwhile, both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will play away in Japan. Australia’s last window, in June, features Japan (home) and Saudi Arabia (away) - hence the importance of sealing their fate before then.

But Popovic is not looking that far ahead, and neither are his players.

“This is another opportunity now to cement our foundation,” he said, referring to the markers laid down in his first window last month, with a 3-1 win over China and a valuable 1-1 draw with Japan, when they unveiled a new formation and style.

“Of course it’s a big game. We’re on the same points, and they’re here with the same goal in mind. We understand that. We embrace that challenge. But it’s an opportunity to progress our game and show that tomorrow on the pitch.”