Tunisia have turned to experienced French coach Herve Renard in a bid to revive their World Cup campaign after the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi following the team’s crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their Group F opener.
Renard arrived in Monterrey on Tuesday and immediately began work with the squad, leading an evening training session ahead of Tunisia’s crucial second group match against Japan on Sunday.
The 57-year-old said he accepted the role without hesitation when approached by the Tunisian Football Federation and described the task ahead as both difficult and motivating.
“(When) the federation contacted me, I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Renard told reporters. “It’s a challenge that isn’t easy, but it’s a motivating challenge.”
Lamouchi became the first coach to lose his job at the tournament after Tunisia’s heavy defeat to Sweden. Following the match, he admitted that “way too many mistakes” contributed to what he described as a “painful” result, as Sweden’s attack overwhelmed Tunisia’s defence throughout the contest.
Renard arrives with a wealth of international experience and a strong track record on the global stage. The former Morocco and Saudi Arabia coach guided Saudi Arabia to one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history when they defeated eventual champions Argentina during the group stage of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
He later took charge of France’s women’s national team for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics before returning to Saudi Arabia. He then helped the Green Falcons secure qualification for a third consecutive World Cup appearance.
After landing from Paris on Tuesday, Renard met briefly with the Tunisia squad and expressed confidence in the mood within the camp despite the disappointing start to the tournament.
He revealed that his message to the players focused on pride, responsibility and the need to respond positively after the defeat to Sweden.
“I just told them we have to hold our heads high, we have to move forward … you’re here to represent the country, Tunisia. It’s an honour, it’s a duty. And we owe it to ourselves to do much better than the result of the first match,” he said.
Renard also expressed sympathy for Lamouchi, whom he knows personally, and acknowledged the harsh reality of international football management.
“As we say, you can’t fire the squad, so the one who takes the blame is the coach.”
Tunisia now face a difficult challenge against Japan, who opened their campaign with an entertaining 2-2 draw against the Netherlands.
Renard knows the Japanese side well after facing them several times during his coaching career. He praised their quality, teamwork and tactical discipline, describing them as the strongest national team in Asia.
“I know very well the quality of this team, but at the moment we need to be focused on ourselves,” he said. “We still have a few days to be ready for me to play one more time against Japan.”
With Tunisia searching for their first points of the tournament, Renard’s arrival offers fresh hope that the North African nation can recover from a disastrous start and reignite their World Cup campaign.
