Tunisia Appoint Hervé Renard as New Head Coach Amid World Cup Crisis

The Tunisian Football Federation has appointed French tactician Hervé Renard as the new head coach of the Carthage Eagles following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi. The decision comes in the wake of Tunisia’s disappointing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Renard takes charge with immediate effect as Tunisia seek to revive their World Cup campaign and restore confidence within the squad ahead of crucial Group F encounters against Japan and the Netherlands.

He arrives with an outstanding reputation in African football, having won the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia in 2012 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2015 — a feat unmatched by any other coach. He has also enjoyed successful spells with Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the French women’s national team.

Renard is perhaps best remembered on the global stage for masterminding Saudi Arabia’s famous 2-1 victory over Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, one of the greatest upsets in tournament history.

According to reports, the Tunisian federation has also parted ways with Lamouchi’s entire backroom staff, although former captain Wahbi Khazri is expected to remain involved with the national team setup. Renard will be allowed to appoint his own goalkeeping coach and performance analyst as he begins his mission to turn Tunisia’s fortunes around.

The appointment marks a dramatic change of direction for Tunisia, who became the first team to sack their manager during the 2026 World Cup after Lamouchi oversaw just five matches in charge.

With two group-stage fixtures remaining, Renard faces an immediate challenge to inspire a response from the Carthage Eagles and keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

All eyes will now be on whether one of Africa’s most decorated coaches can engineer another remarkable turnaround on football’s biggest stage.

About The Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

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