Nantes issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the dismissal of Ahmed Kantari as head coach.

The 40-year-old Cantari, formerly an assistant coach for Nantes, will officially succeed Luis Castro as head coach in December 2025. Under Cantari's leadership, Nantes first lost to Nice in the round of 16 of the French Cup, and then won only one of their seven league matches.

Currently, Nantes sits second-to-last in Ligue 1 with a record of 4 wins, 5 draws, and 16 losses, accumulating 17 points. With only nine rounds remaining, they are two points away from the relegation zone.

Faced with a dire relegation battle, Nantes ultimately decided to terminate Cantari's contract, which was originally set to expire this summer. They also confirmed that 73-year-old Vahid Halilhodžić would take over as manager, with his term lasting until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Halilhodžić played for Nantes for five years during his playing career, winning the Ligue 1 title with the team in 1983. He also took over as manager of Nantes in the 2018/19 season, leading the team to a record of 7 wins, 6 draws and 14 losses.

Besides Nantes, Halilhodžić has left his mark on Bovey, Raja Casablanca, Lille, Rennes, Paris Saint-Germain, Trabzonspor, Union Jeddah, Ivory Coast, Dinamo Zagreb, Algeria, Japan, and Morocco. His coaching career boasts 279 wins, 149 draws, and 141 losses, with accolades including one African Cup of Nations title, one Moroccan Premier League title, one French Cup title, one Croatian First Division title, and one Croatian Cup title.

Halilhodžić's appointment as manager of Nantes marks his return to football after more than four years of inactivity. He was forced to resign in August 2022 after leading Morocco to the World Cup finals, due to disagreements with stars such as Hakim Ziyech and Nasser Mazraoui.

Image source: Internet