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Tunisian Football Federation pursues Hervé Renard as head coach after sacking Sabri Lamouchi
Tunisia's 5-1 World Cup thrashing by Sweden cost Lamouchi his job after just five months, and now the federation is scrambling to bring in one of Africa's most decorated coaches before their next match against Japan
Tunisia’s World Cup campaign is already in crisis mode. The Tunisian Football Federation fired head coach Sabri Lamouchi and immediately turned to Hervé Renard, the French manager who has won the Africa Cup of Nations with two different countries, as his replacement.
The trigger was as brutal as it was public: a 5-1 demolition by Sweden on June 14 in Tunisia’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
From appointment to dismissal in five months
Lamouchi was appointed Tunisia’s head coach on January 5, 2026, signing a deal that was supposed to cover a 2.5-year period. He managed just one win in five matches before the federation decided they’d seen enough.
The FTF didn’t waste time mourning the decision. Reports emerged on June 15 and 16 that the federation had already reached out to Renard, exploring both an immediate short-term arrangement and a potential longer-term contract. The urgency makes sense when you consider the calendar: Tunisia’s next group stage match is against Japan on June 21.
Why Renard is the call
Hervé Renard isn’t just a name pulled from a hat. He led Zambia to an AFCON title in 2012, then did it again with Ivory Coast in 2015, becoming the first coach to win the tournament with two different nations.
If appointed, Tunisia would become Renard’s fifth African national team role. Renard is also available, having been dismissed by Saudi Arabia on April 17, 2026, meaning he’s been a free agent for roughly two months.
A pattern of managerial chaos
The FTF has a well-documented history of making quick managerial changes before and during major tournaments. Lamouchi came in with a mandate to guide Tunisia through the World Cup but managed just one win in five matches, telling a story of a team that never quite found its identity under his leadership.
What this means for Tunisia’s World Cup hopes
After losing their opener by four goals, Tunisia’s goal difference is already deep in the red. Anything less than a win against Japan on June 21 would likely end their tournament.
Five days isn’t enough to implement a new system, but Renard’s track record includes exactly the kind of high-pressure African football environment Tunisia faces now. His Zambia AFCON win in 2012 involved taking a group of players the footballing world had written off and steering them to the title.