Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard’s former right handman Honor Janza has explained why the Frenchman is fond of his trademark white shirt.
Renard’s designer’s shirt caught the attention of the football world when he led Saudi Arabia to a stunning 2-1 win over Argentina on Tuesday at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Fans quickly recalled how Renard also maintained the same shirt when he was in charge of Zambia and Ivory Coast who he led to the 2012 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles.
Some quarters have suggested that the white shirt is like Renard’s lucky charm.
BBC Africa Sports TV sports presenter Mimi Fawaz echoed such statements on Herve’s shirt, saying it brings him luck.
“Herve Renard’s lucky white shirt has struck again making it Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina,” she tweeted on @Mimosa Fawaz.
“African football fans know him too well; he always wears in for good luck. Won it with Zambia and Cote D’Ivoire when they won Afcon with him.”
But Janza, who was part of Renard’s panel when Zambia won the 2012 AFCON, told FARPost that the Frenchman does not believe in charms.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with issues of charm. I think it is just coincidence. He loves the colour white and it just came as a coincidence to him,” Janza said.
WHITE SAID TO BE PART OF RENARD’S BRAND
The current Tanzania caretaker coach Janza insisted that Renard has turned the white shirt into part of his brand.
“He has maintained it because it is one of the colours that gave him the desires of his career,” the Tanzania’s Namungo FC coach said.
“I have never heard him believing in charms. It is just that he has maintained colour white as his brand and it has favoured him.”
On Tuesday, Renard caught the attention on the touchline as he cajoled the minnows to the famous victory.
Argentina suffered the surprise defeat to the minnows despite having gone ahead barely 10 minutes into the Group C contest.
Captain Lionel Messi buried the ball into the net from the penalty spot after Saudi Arabian player had committed a foul.
The defeat ended Argentina’s 36-game unbeaten run dating back to 2019.
The South American champions also had three of their efforts declined for offside before Saudi Arabia struck.
The minnows leveled matters early in the second half through Mohammed Al-Shehri before captain Shafi Al-Dawsari snatched the winner.
Saudi Arabia next face Poland whereas Argentina meet Mexico this weekend.
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