FC Nantes have decided to part ways with their coach Ahmed Kantari after another series of disappointing results in Ligue 1. Appointed in December 2025 to try and turn around a team already struggling, the former Moroccan defender never managed to reverse the negative trend of the Canaries.
The defeat against Angers was the final straw for the Nantes management. Plunged into the relegation zone and unable to string together a series of positive results, the club opted for a shock tactic as the final stretch of the season approached.
Kantari never found the solution
Arriving on the bench on December 11, 2025, Ahmed Kantari was promoted to breathe new life into a team that had lost its way. But the results never followed.
Under his leadership, Nantes suffered a string of poor performances. The team gradually settled into the bottom of the table, unable to escape the relegation zone despite several attempts at tactical changes.
The record remains very poor: very few wins, numerous losses, and a defense that regularly struggles. With only a few matches left in the season, the management felt that a change was inevitable.
The bet on the return of Vahid Halilhodžić
In an attempt to save the season, the Nantes management chose an experienced solution: recalling Vahid Halilhodžić.
At 73, the Franco-Bosnian coach knows the club perfectly. A former iconic striker for the Canaries in the 1980s, he had already managed the team during the 2018-2019 season.
His time on the Nantes bench had left the image of a demanding coach, capable of imposing strong discipline and remobilizing a struggling group.
A mission to maintain pressure
Halilhodžić's mission is clear: to keep FC Nantes in Ligue 1. The club currently occupies 17th place in the league and is in a relegation position.
With only a few matchdays remaining, every game becomes crucial. The objective now is to quickly regain momentum, solidify the defense, and rediscover the attacking efficiency that has been sorely lacking in recent weeks.
Chronic instability in Nantes
This latest coaching change once again highlights the instability that has plagued the club for several seasons. The Canaries have been making a series of changes to the bench in the hope of finding the formula that will stabilize the team.
The return of Vahid Halilhodžić therefore represents a significant gamble for the Nantes management. It remains to be seen whether the coach's experience will be enough to provide the necessary jolt to save the club from relegation.
