Tunisia sack coach Sabri Lamouchi, appoint Herve Renard after World Cup drubbing by Sweden
Tunis, June 16
Tunisia have sacked their manager Sabri Lamouchi and have appointed fellow Frenchman Herve Renard as his replacement. Notably, Lamouchi's termination comes after their campaign opener loss in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026, where they endured a brutal 5-1 defeat to Sweden.
In a post on Instagram, the Tunisian Football Federation (TFT) said that they have appointed Renard as head coach until the end of the 2026 World Cup. He will begin his role immediately under the existing financial terms, with discussions on a longer-term contract to take place after the tournament based on the team's performance and sporting objectives.
"The Tunisian Football Federation announces the appointment of Herve Renard as head coach of the national team through the end of the 2026 World Cup. He will assume his duties this evening under the same financial terms. The agreement also stipulates that negotiations regarding long-term cooperation--based on specific sporting objectives--will commence following the team's World Cup campaign," TFT said in the post.
In an earlier post, TFT announced Lamouchi's termination, saying they had mutually agreed to part ways with Lamouchi and thanked him for his service.
"The Tunisian Football Federation announces the termination of its contractual relationship with Head Coach Sabri Lamouchi by mutual agreement and wishes him every success in his future professional endeavours," TFT said.
In their World Cup campaign opener on Sunday (Local Time), the North African side were left absolutely exposed in terms of their defence during their campaign opener against Sweden on Sunday, making it one of Tunisia's worst results at the international level. A brace from Yasin Ayari and strikes from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Mattias Svanberg piled up misery on Tunisia, who could manage just one strike by Omar Rekik in the 43rd minute.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a football fan from India, I feel for Lamouchi. Losing 5-1 to Sweden is brutal, but sacking him after one game? That's harsh. Renard is a good appointment though - he knows African football well. Let's see if he can turn things around against England next. 😬
This is why African teams struggle to develop consistency. You can't build a system if coaches are sacked after one result. Sweden are a quality side - Isak, Gyokeres, and Ayari are all top players. Tunisia just ran into a buzzsaw. Renard's appointment makes sense tactically though.
Reminds me of how we used to sack coaches in Indian football after every loss. 😅 But seriously, Renard is a big upgrade - he won AFCON with Zambia and Ivory Coast. Tunisia's defense was shocking though, conceding 5 goals in a World Cup opener is unacceptable at this level.
Mixed feelings on this one. Lamouchi wasn't given a fair chance, but Renard is a proven winner. The real issue is Tunisia's squad depth - they looked completely outclassed physically and tactically. Maybe this quick change will spark some life into the team before their next match.
Herve Renard is a good coach but the timing is suspect. How much can you change in a few days before the next match? The TFT should have shown more patience. That said, 5-1 is unacceptable at a World Cup - maybe the players needed a wake-up call. 🤷♂️
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