A few hours after Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria’s contract was terminated, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) revealed the short-listed candidates for the national team’s leadership position.
Ehab El-Komy, a board member of the EFA, disclosed on Monday that French coaches Herve Renard and Sebastien Desabre are among the candidates for their notable accomplishments.
“Renard is a leading contender for the Egypt national team position,” El-Komy stated on television.
“We’ve reached out to Renard, and he’s expressed interest in leading the national team. Given his remarkable track record in Africa, we consider him a prominent figure,” the EFA board member remarked.
Renard, 55, has a distinguished history in Africa. He was the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations titles, with Zambia in 2012 and Cote d’Ivoire in 2015.
He also steered the Morocco national team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, marking their first appearance since 1998.
Furthermore, he helped Saudi Arabia secure a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup by defeating the formidable Argentina 2-1 in their opening match of the prestigious tournament in Qatar.
However, Saudi Arabia suffered defeats in their other two matches against Poland and Mexico, leading to their elimination from the group stage.
DR Congo’s coach Desabre
DR Congo’s coach, Desabre, aged 47, is also being considered as a potential candidate to helm the Egypt national team.
The final decision regarding Desabre’s appointment will be announced upon the conclusion of the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
El-Komy confirmed that Desabre is under consideration due to his commendable results in the tournament and his prior experience with African and Egyptian teams.
“We are striving to reach a decision that fulfills the ambitions of the Egyptian people and advances Egyptian football,” he added.
Desabre has a noteworthy history of leading African teams, including Ivorian ASEC Mimosas, Cameroon’s Coton Sport, and Tunisia’s Esperance de Tunis.
He served as head coach of Ismaily in the Egyptian Premier League in 2017 before moving to Pyramids FC in 2019.
Desabre led the Uganda national team in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations but was eliminated in the round of 16.
In 2022, he was appointed coach of DR Congo to guide them to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Currently, he is leading the Leopards to the semifinals at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
