Tunisia parts ways with Lamouchi after 1:5 loss to Sweden and appoints Hervé Renard

The dress rehearsal against Belgium had already ended disappointingly at 0:5. Under Lamouchi, there had been only a single win during his tenure: a 1:0 against World Cup participant Haiti. The clear opening match against Sweden had already made the air for the Frenchman definitively thin. After just five months, Lamouchi was Tunisia's fifth national team coach since January 2024.

Background: Five months, one win

His successor has already been determined. As Nassari announced on Tunisian television, Hervé Renard will lead the team "bis zum Ende der Weltmeisterschaft 2026." Renard, 57 years old, is expected to arrive at the team camp in Monterrey on Tuesday to lead his first training session with the squad there. First up is the preparation for the second group-stage match against Japan, which kicks off on Sunday at 6:00 AM CEST.

Renard brings considerable experience. The Frenchman led Zambia to the Africa Cup title in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015. In 2018, he managed Morocco at a World Cup, and in 2022, he was on the bench for Saudi Arabia at the finals in Qatar. He was serving as Saudi Arabia's national team coach until April of this year, when he was dismissed there. Now, the move to North Africa comes in the middle of an ongoing World Cup tournament.

Renard's profile: Africa Cup winner with World Cup experience

Renard takes over a team that is under massive pressure in Group F. Following the debacle against Sweden, the next match is against Japan on Sunday night, followed by the final group-stage match against the Netherlands on 26 June. According to available data, Tunisia's squad has a total market value of around 70 million euros – the lower third of all World Cup participants. With regard to the upcoming tasks, those responsible hope that Renard's routine and his Africa Cup successes will switch the team's career mode back on.

Tunisia is not encountering the separation from a coach in the middle of a tournament for the first time. At the 1998 World Cup in France, Henryk Kasperczak had to make way after two defeats in the group stage – at that time following a 0:2 against England and a 0:1 against Colombia. Even if the example from 1998 shows that a coaching change does not guarantee a turnaround, the federation is now going all-in on the new man from France.

The Renard appointment also illustrates the difficult situation for the Tunisian federation. The team had failed to develop any consistency over months, neither in play nor in results. The separation from Lamouchi is to be read primarily as a signal inward: to the players, the fans, and the public. The time for sugar-coating was over after conceding five goals against Sweden.

Task against Japan: Stabilize the defense

Renard's most pressing task is to stabilize the defense. Five goals conceded against the Scandinavians revealed structural problems in the back line, which had also been visible in the preparation against Belgium. Japan, the next opponent, has a quick transition game and will attempt to exploit similar gaps. Renard must therefore find a fundamental tactical line in the shortest possible time.

The quick solution was also made possible by Renard's availability. Following his dismissal in Saudi Arabia in April, the Frenchman was without a club, so no transfer fee or lengthy contract negotiations were necessary. This made him the ideal fit for the Tunisian federation, which was under time pressure. Renard himself had recently stressed that he was open to a new engagement.

The schedule is tight. After his arrival in Monterrey on Tuesday, Renard will have only a few training sessions before the match against Japan kicks off early on Sunday. In between lie days in which he must get to know the team, make tactical adjustments, and build the players' confidence. In such situations, it becomes clear why Renard has been so highly regarded in the past as a coach of African national teams.

Time pressure: Few days until the next match

In Tunisia itself, the decision was received with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the disappointment over the weak World Cup start was great; on the other hand, the expectations of Renard are enormous. Fans remember his successes in Africa and hope for similar energy with this team. President Nassari spoke of a clear mandate: to take over "die Leitung der Nationalmannschaft bis zum Ende der Weltmeisterschaft 2026."

It remains open whether Renard will change the squad for the remaining matches. In such situations, it is not uncommon for a new coach to fall back on individual players from the extended squad or draw personnel consequences. Renard himself has not publicly commented on this so far. He is expected to first get an impression of the team after his arrival.

Outlook: Round of 16 still within reach

The coming days will show whether the coaching change achieves the desired effect. Tunisia needs points against Japan to preserve its chances of reaching the round of 16. Renard takes over a team that, although sportingly weakened, is not yet eliminated. A success against the "Blue Samurai" would crown the new beginning – and silence the criticism of the federation leadership for the time being.

Renard faces perhaps the greatest challenge of his coaching career in Monterrey. The World Cup stage, the short preparation time, the language barrier, and the sporting starting position initially count against him. His record at Africa Cups and World Cups, however, speaks in his favor. In Monterrey, a task he knows from previous stations begins for him on Tuesday – only this time with one continent less preparation time.