Herve Renard resigns as Morocco coach

Jul 22, 2019 06:00 am

Herve Renard announced yesterday that he was stepping down as Morocco coach, after a disappointing African Nations Cup campaign that saw his side knocked out by Benin in the last 16.

The tournament concluded last Saturday, with Algeria clinching their first title in 29 years, following their 1-0 win over Senegal.

"It is time to close this long and beautiful chapter of my life, not without some emotion and sadness, but it is an inevitable decision taken well before Afcon 2019," said Renard in a statement.

"Yes, we had all hoped better for this Afcon 2019, but this is football."

The Frenchman had been in charge of Morocco since February 2016 and led the north African nation to their first World Cup in two decades in Russia last year.

However, their shock penalty shoot-out defeat by Benin came against a side reduced to 10 men in extra-time and after Ajax Amsterdam star Hakim Ziyech sent a spot-kick against the post in the final seconds of normal time. - AFP