Qatar 2022: Who Is Herve Renard, Saudi Arabia’s Manager Who Helped Stun Lionel Messi’s Argentina?

• Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the biggest upsets at a FIFA World Cup by coming from behind to beat one of this year's favourites
• Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari scored within five minutes of each other in the second half to condemn Argentina to a nightmarish loss
• The Green Falcons are managed by Herve Renard, a coach with great success leading lesser-known football teams to new heights

The opening Group C game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup gave the world the biggest upset of the tournament so far, and probably one of the biggest in history.

Saudi Arabia, who are ranked 51st in the FIFA rankings, stunned third-placed Argentina, who came into the tournament as South American champions and one of the favourites to win the mundial.

Argentina endured a frustrating first half, despite going into the break in the lead, as Sports Brief reported.

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Lionel Messi scored a 10th minute penalty and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez scored two, although Martinez's goals were cancelled for offside.

This was the struggle of La Albiceleste, who found it hard to deal with the Saudi's offside traps and were caught by the referees 10 times - seven of which were in the first half.

Saudi Arabia is coached by the highly revered French manager Herve Renard, who is reputable for leading two different African nations in Zambia and Cote d'Ivoire to the Africa Cup of Nations title.

The most remarkable of these is Zambia in 2012, in which a team largely dominated by home-based Zambians defeated Didier Drogba's Cote d'Ivoire.

Renard has had a nomadic coaching career since he began coaching in 1999, after retiring from an uneventful playing career.

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The highlights of his coaching career have been the times he spent managing African countries. He has also managed Angola and Morocco, the latter of whom qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia - their first Mundial in 20 years.

It comes as no surprise what a team coached by Renard can do. His genuis has Saudi Arabia top of Group C, pending Poland versus Mexico. Argentina on the other hand, has an uphill task if they are to advance from the group.

Did Martinez deserve to start?

Sports Brief earlier reported on the outrage from Argentina fans towards the team manager. Lionel Scaloni was heavily criticised for putting Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez on the bench.

Martinez has been solid in United's defence since moving to England from Ajax. Scaloni opted instead for the pair of Tottenham's Cuti Romero and Benfica's Nicolas Otamendi, who struggled to deal with the Saudi attack.

Scaloni possibly opted to bench Martinez due to his height, with many questioning him against taller opponents. However, his fierce tackling which has earned him the nickname 'The Butcher'.