Renard named Tunisia head coach mid-World Cup after 5-1 loss to Sweden

Hervé Renard takes over Tunisia during the World Cup, following the Eagles of Carthage’s heavy defeat to Sweden (5-1) in their opening group match. The French coach, free since his departure from Saudi Arabia in spring, must travel to Mexico on Tuesday to lead his first training session immediately after.

The saga surrounding Tunisia’s coaching position proved particularly turbulent in the hours following the Swedish thrashing. Sabri Lamouchi, appointed in January after a failed Africa Cup of Nations campaign — eliminated in the round of 16 — was officially sacked Monday evening via a statement posted on social media. But that same statement was quickly removed, a sign of the confusion within the Tunisian Football Federation. Wahbi Khazri, then technical director Mondher Kebaier, were each cited as potential successors before Renard’s name emerged.

Ultimately, the Tunisian Federation managed to convince the white-shirted tactician to take on the challenge. Renard does not come alone: he is accompanied by Nicolas Baudoin (video analyst), David Barriac (fitness coach) and Gilles Le Floch (goalkeeping coach). The staff will have five days to prepare for the second group match, against Japan, next Sunday.

For Renard, this challenge represents another chapter in a singular World Cup journey: he will contest his third World Cup with a third different national team, after Morocco in 2018 and Saudi Arabia in 2022. Sabri Lamouchi, meanwhile, lasted only a few months at the helm of the Eagles of Carthage, paying the price for a catastrophic inaugural campaign. His predecessor, Sami Trabelsi, had already been removed for the same reasons following the disappointing Africa Cup of Nations.