After the thrashing suffered against Sweden in the debut, the Tunisian federation dismissed Sabri Lamouchi and opted for the experienced French coach to try to turn their situation around at the start of the World Cup
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Hours after dismissing Sabri Lamouchi as head coach following the heavy defeat of 5-1 against Sweden in their debut in Group F of the World Cup 2026, the Tunisian National Team officially announced his replacement: Hervé Renard.
Through a statement released on social media, the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) announced the hiring of the 57-year-old French coach, whose contract will extend at least until the end of the African country's participation in the World Cup. "The Tunisian Football University announces the appointment of Hervé Renard as coach of the National Team until the end of the 2026 World Cup, to continue his duties starting this afternoon, with the same financial privileges", the text begins.
The FTF statement on Instagram
Despite the brevity of his contract, the FTF's intention is to reach an agreement to extend it long-term: "As agreed, negotiations will begin after the end of participation in the World Cup, in order to achieve long-term cooperation based on specific sports objectives".
Interestingly, this will not be the first time Renard succeeds Lamouchi in an African national team. In 2014, he had already taken the reins of Côte d'Ivoire after the departure of the person he has now replaced in Tunisia.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that Renard already has experience coaching in World Cups. Previously, the Frenchman managed Morocco in Russia 2018 and Saudi Arabia in Qatar 2022, where he was part of one of the biggest surprises of the tournament by defeating 2-1 against the Argentine National Team in the opening match for both teams.
Renard's Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina in their debut at Qatar 2022
Although neither Morocco nor Saudi Arabia managed to advance past the group stage under his leadership, Renard left a good impression due to the competitiveness of his teams and his ability to enhance squads with fewer resources than the main powers.
His career also includes stints with Zambia, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire and the French women's national team, as well as experiences in clubs from various countries. Among his main achievements are two Africa Cup of Nations titles won with different national teams (2011/12 with Zambia and 2014/15 with Côte d'Ivoire), a record that solidified his prestige on the continent.
With the coaching change finalized, the Tunisian team will seek to make a turnaround against Japan and the Netherlands. Although Renard will have little time to work, the management is confident that his experience in major competitions can help reverse a concerning start.
