The Moroccan coach Al-Hussein Ammouta, currently managing Al Jazira in the UAE, is among the potential candidates to lead the Saudi national team, should the Italian coach Roberto Mancini be dismissed.
Mancini is facing an uncertain future after the Saudi team’s recent struggles, with draws against Bahrain and Indonesia, and a loss to Japan.
The Saudi national team is currently ranked third in their group in the final phase of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with 5 points.
Ammouta, whose contract with Al Jazira runs until the summer of 2026, is seen as one of the leading candidates to replace Mancini, alongside Saudi coach Saleh Al-Mohammedi, as reported by local media.
Al-Hussein Ammouta’s name has surfaced among the options considered by the Saudi Federation, especially after his success with the Jordanian team, leading them to the final of the 2023 Asian Cup.
Throughout his coaching career, Al-Hussein Ammouta has won several titles, including the Moroccan League and the African Champions League with Wydad Casablanca, as well as the CAF Confederation Cup with FUS Rabat.
He also successfully led the Moroccan team to win the African Nations Championship and claimed the Sheikh Jassim Cup with Al Sadd in Qatar.
The termination clause for Al-Hussein Ammouta’s contract with Al Jazira is estimated at around 4 million euros. Should the Saudi Federation wish to hire him, they would need to pay this amount to release him from his contract with the UAE club.
Mancini’s contract with the Saudi team extends until the summer of 2027, but indications suggest that the Federation may soon decide to dismiss him, following quick meetings between Mancini and the Saudi Federation president, Yasser Al-Misehal, after the draw with Bahrain.
