Laurent Blanc will coach the sixth team of his career by joining a club in Saudi Arabia

Laurent Blanc a retrouvé un banc. MAXPPP – Le Parisien/Arnaud Journois

Le Français Laurent Blanc a été nommé entraîneur du club saoudien d’Al-Ittihad où il dirigera notamment ses compatriotes Karim Benzema et N’Golo Kanté, a annoncé samedi 13 juillet le club.

Twelve years after leading him at Euro-2012 under the colors of the France team, the former coach will once again have the ex-Madrilenian under his orders.

Since this date and the elimination of the Blues in the quarter-finals against Spain (2-0), future winner of the event, Benzema has become a world star, winning five Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and the Ballon d'Or in 2022 before giving in to the lure of Saudi petrodollars last year.

Evicted in Lyon

The career of Blanc (58 years old) on the bench was much more winding after this brief stint at the head of the Tricolores (2010-2012). The former world champion (1998) and European (2000) defender enjoyed national glory but no European recognition with PSG (2013-2016) before a stint in Qatar at Al- Rayyan (between December 2020 and February 2022) and a painful experience at OL.

Appointed in October 2022 by Jean-Michel Aulas, "the President" had a rather promising second part of the 2022-2023 season but paid the price for the sale of the Lyon club to American businessman John Textor.