Published On 4/24/2026
Yesterday, Thursday, the Saudi Football Federation announced the contract with Greek coach Georgios Donis to coach the “Green Falcons” team in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, thus putting him before the most important challenge in his professional career.
Given the large CVs of the coaches who have rotated as technical management for Saudi Arabia in recent years, such as Italian Roberto Mancini and Frenchman Herve Renard, it was not out of the question that the Saudi Federation would resort to the services of 56-year-old Donis, especially in this crucial period and less than two months before the start of the World Cup on June 11, and his selection also comes before Saudi Arabia hosts the Asian Cup finals early next year.
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The close proximity to the start of the World Cup played a major role in hiring the services of Denis due to his great knowledge of Saudi football, through his supervision of the training of Al-Hilal (2015-2016), Al-Wahda (2021 and 2023-2024), and Al-Fateh (2022-2023), before he contracted with Al-Khaleej in 2024, but his ambition was a main reason for the appointment.
On January 18, Denis hinted in a “veiled message” on the eve of facing Al-Ahly in the Saudi League, to his ability to lead the Saudi national team, saying: “No one knows what the future holds, but I am not afraid that it is possible for me to be a coach for the Saudi national team because of my complete knowledge of the nature of the Saudi player and the DNA of football in the Kingdom.”
He added, “I have been here in Saudi Arabia for years, and I support the Saudi team, and I love watching it qualify for the World Cup. I will watch all of its matches and support it in the World Cup.”
Donis pointed out that he contributed during his career to the emergence of a number of players who later arrived in the Saudi national team, including Firas Al-Braikan, Nawaf Al-Aqidi and Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, pointing out that this reflects his ability to develop talent.
In this context, Denis stressed that he has sufficient experience to lead the next stage, stressing his feeling of “belonging and affinity with Saudi football” as if he is “part of this country.”
He pointed out that his training experiences give him the confidence to lead an important stage such as training the national team if he is given the opportunity, which is what happened yesterday, Thursday, when he became the 60th coach in the history of the Saudi national team.
These are Denise’s training stations
- In 2002, he led Ilissiakos to two successive promotions from the fourth division to the Greek second division.
- He moved to Larissa, where after one season he successfully led him from the second division to the first, finishing eighth the following season, and to the Greek Cup title in 2007.
- He had an unsuccessful experience with AEK Athens (2008).
- He spent three years with Atromitos (2009-2012) and led them to two Greek Cup finals, losing to AEK Athens 0-3 and Olympiacos 1-2 (after extra time).
- He was appointed coach of PAOK in May 2012, but was dismissed in April 2013 after exiting in the Greek Cup semi-finals.
- In October 2013, Donis signed a contract until the end of the 2013-2014 season with the then Cypriot champion APOEL, and led them to the double in his first season with them.
- Donis extended his contract for one year with APOEL, during which he led them to the group stage of the Champions League, where they were placed in Group F alongside Barcelona of Spain, Paris Saint-Germain of France, and Ajax of Holland.
- In January 2015, APOEL and Denis ended their collaboration by mutual consent, following a series of poor performances and results.
- Denis was appointed one month later as coach of Al Hilal, and contributed to their reaching the semi-finals of the 2015 AFC Champions League, winning the King’s Cup, the Crown Prince’s Cup and the Super Cup.
- He supervised the training of Sharjah, UAE, from July 28, 2016 until the summer of 2018, but their cooperation lasted only one year.
- He returned to coaching APOEL on 28 July 2017, but was sacked in March 2018.
- In July 2018, he was appointed coach of Panathinaikos, but he left his position by mutual consent in July 2020 due to his tense relationship with the club’s management and its president, Yiannis Alafouzos.
- He then moved to coach Al-Wahda Saudi Arabia in March 2021, then his compatriot Al-Fateh in January 2022, and returned to Al-Wahda in July 2023, and then Al-Khaleej in July 2024, before landing in the technical management of the Saudi national team.
