Herve Renard Appointed Tunisia Head Coach Following World Cup Dismissal

Herve Renard has been appointed as the new head coach of the Tunisia national football team, a move that follows the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi after just one match in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. The Tunisian Football Federation announced the appointment of the experienced French manager on Tuesday.

Renard, 57, takes the helm with the immediate task of leading Tunisia through their remaining group stage fixtures in the 2026 World Cup. He has been appointed initially until the conclusion of the tournament, with discussions planned for a potential long-term collaboration afterward.

Por que importa

Lamouchi’s tenure was cut short following Tunisia’s heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden in their opening World Cup game. This marked a historic, albeit unfortunate, moment as Lamouchi became the first head coach in World Cup history to be dismissed after only a single game.

Renard brings a wealth of international coaching experience to the role. He has previously managed fellow North African nations Morocco and Saudi Arabia at the World Cup. His coaching career also includes leading Saudi Arabia to a notable group stage victory over eventual champions Argentina in the 2022 tournament.

Contexto

Key facts
| Fact | Detail |
|—|—|
| New Head Coach | Herve Renard |
| Previous Coach | Sabri Lamouchi |
| Reason for Change | 5-1 defeat to Sweden in World Cup opener |
| Renard’s Contract | Until the end of the 2026 World Cup |
| Tunisia’s World Cup Record | Never progressed beyond the group stage |

Renard’s coaching resume also features significant success in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where he guided Zambia to victory in 2012 and Ivory Coast to the title in 2015. He also coached the France women’s national team during the 2023 Women’s World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals.

Lamouchi’s time in charge of Tunisia lasted just five months. He had replaced Sami Trabelsi after Tunisia’s elimination in the last-16 of AFCON 2025. Lamouchi, who has managed clubs like Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City, described the defeat to Sweden as “painful” and acknowledged “way too many mistakes” by his team. He secured only one win in his five games as head coach, a friendly victory against Haiti in March.

Tunisia’s next World Cup matches are scheduled against Japan on June 20 and the Netherlands on June 25. The team has a history of qualifying for the World Cup, having done so on six occasions, but has yet to advance past the group stage. This appointment marks a significant shift for the team as they aim to improve their performance under Renard’s experienced leadership.

Tunisia had previously sacked a head coach during a World Cup group stage in 1998 when Henryk Kasperczak was dismissed after consecutive losses to England and Colombia.

Source: The Athletic Football – https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7365206/2026/06/16/tunisia-renard-lamouchi-world-cup-2026/

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