It has been announced that Tunisia has appointed Herve Renard as the head coach for the remainder of their World Cup campaign.
This decision follows the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi, who led Tunisia in the lead-up to the tournament and in their opening match against Sweden. Lamouchi was sacked after reports of discord within the team.
According to sources, the 57-year-old Renard is set to arrive in Mexico on Tuesday afternoon, where he will conduct his first training session later that evening in Monterrey.
Tunisia officially confirmed Lamouchi’s departure late on Monday.
– Lamouchi joins exclusive group of coaches sacked during the World Cup
This marks Renard’s third men’s World Cup experience with a different team, following his stint with Morocco in 2018, where he recorded one draw and two losses, and his time with Saudi Arabia in 2022, which included a famous victory against Argentina and Lionel Messi in their opening match, though they subsequently lost the next two matches and did not advance to the knockout stages.
In addition to his World Cup coaching experience, Renard also managed the French women’s national team during the last Women’s World Cup in 2023, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Australia.
This is the first instance in men’s World Cup history that a team has let go of their head coach after just one match in the tournament.
Lamouchi, 54, was removed from his position following a dismal 5-1 defeat to Sweden, exacerbated by ongoing tensions with the federation and some players since he took charge.
Wahbi Khazri, a former Ligue 1 midfielder and Lamouchi’s assistant, will remain part of the coaching staff under Renard.