Giorgos Donis succeeds Hervé Renard as Saudi Arabia coach before World Cup | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Saudi Arabia have appointed Greek Giorgos Donis, 56, as head coach for the World Cup, replacing Hervé Renard a week after his dismissal, with two months to go.

A former Greece international with 24 caps and five goals, Donis played for AEK Athens, Panathinaikos and Sheffield United.

He moved into coaching in 2002 and first worked in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal in 2015-16, winning three trophies, the King's Cup, the Super Cup and the Saudi Cup.

After spells in the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Greece and Israel, he returned to the Saudi Pro League in 2021, leading Al Wehda and Al Fateh before taking over at Khaleej FC in 2024.

The side are 11th in the Saudi Pro League. Donis now steps up from that job to lead the national team.

He is also the father of Anastasios Donis, 29, who featured for OGC Nice in 2016-17 with 22 matches and five goals, then for Stade de Reims from 2019 to 2023 with 38 matches and zero goals after a stint at Stuttgart. He now plays for Aris Salonique FC in the Greek top flight.

Source: L'Équipe