Ivory Coast have appointed Hervé Renard as their new head coach, bringing the Frenchman back 11 years after he guided the Elephants to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations title.
The 57-year-old replaces Emerse Faé, whose contract expired on July 31 despite leading the national team to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
Renard returns after leaving Tunisia following their group stage exit at the World Cup. He had taken charge of the Carthage Eagles as an emergency replacement for Sabri Lamouchi, who lost his job after Tunisia suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match.
Announcing the appointment, the Ivorian Football Federation said the decision reflects its ambition to build on the recent progress of the national team while continuing to pursue success on the African and global stage.
“This appointment reflects the Federation’s determination to consolidate the achievements made by the senior national team in recent years, while continuing to pursue the ambitions set for Ivorian football on both the African and international stages,” the federation said.
It added: “An African champion with Côte d’Ivoire in 2015, Mr Hervé Renard returns to lead the Elephants with the mission of guiding the national team in its preparation for and participation in upcoming international competitions.
“Drawing on his experience at the highest level of football, his knowledge of African football, and his attachment to Ivorian football, he will be responsible for continuing the senior national team’s momentum of success, working in close collaboration with the Federation’s governing bodies and technical structures.”
Renard first took charge of Ivory Coast in July 2014 with the task of ending the country’s long wait for another AFCON title. He delivered almost immediately, leading the Elephants to victory over Ghana on penalties in the 2015 final in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Just three months later, he left to become head coach of French club Lille.
That triumph also secured Hervé Renard a place in African football history. He became the first coach to win the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries after guiding Zambia to their unforgettable triumph in 2012, when they defeated Ivory Coast in the final.
Since then, Renard has coached Morocco, the France women’s national team and Saudi Arabia across two spells. He also masterminded one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history when Saudi Arabia defeated eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The federation, led by president Yacine Idriss Diallo, confirmed that Renard will arrive in Abidjan later this week to begin work and meet the media.
His return comes after the controversial departure of Emerse Faé, who enjoyed one of the most remarkable coaching spells in Ivory Coast’s history. Faé stepped into the role during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations after Jean-Louis Gasset was dismissed following a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the group stage.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Faé inspired an extraordinary turnaround. Ivory Coast advanced to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams before eliminating defending champions Senegal on penalties in the Round of 16. They then came from behind to beat Mali after extra time in a thrilling quarter-final and defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo in the semi-final.
The remarkable run ended with a memorable 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the final at the Stade d’Ebimpé, securing Ivory Coast’s third AFCON title and their first since 2015.
Faé also guided the Elephants to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after victories over Ecuador and Curacao and a narrow defeat to Germany in the group phase. Their campaign ended in the Round of 32 when Norway claimed a 2-1 victory after Amad Diallo cancelled out Antonio Nusa’s opener before Erling Haaland scored the winner.
Speaking after his departure, Faé admitted the federation’s decision came without warning.
“The officials called me to tell me there would be no contract extension,” Faé told L’Equipe. “It happened all of a sudden, without any explanation.
“They acknowledged that the work had been done well and that they had been planning to continue with us, but after yet another meeting among the federation’s leadership, the decision was made not to proceed. I’m not the type to demand answers. I accepted it – that’s just the way it is.”
Faé also defended his long-term vision for the national team and insisted the World Cup experience would have laid the foundation for future success.
“I was already saying before the World Cup that, given the potential of this team, 2026 would allow us to learn while still being ambitious,” he said. “Of the 26 players in the squad, all 26 were newcomers to the tournament, and I was a novice as a head coach too.
“I knew we were going to show what we could do and gain valuable experience with 2030 in mind. When I signed permanently after the AFCON, I had a project focused on developing Ivorian football, beyond simply achieving results.”
Renard’s second spell in charge will begin with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in September. Ivory Coast have been drawn in Group C alongside Ghana, Gambia and Somalia as they aim to secure another place at the continental finals.
