FIFA WC 2026: Renard named Tunisia coach after Lamouchi dismissal

Tunis, June 16 (IANS) Tunisia appointed Herve Renard as head coach through the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi after a disappointing start to the tournament, in which they lost the opener to Sweden 5-1 on Monday (IST).

Lamouchi’s departure makes him the first manager in World Cup history to be sacked after just one game. “The Tunisian Football Federation announces the termination of its contractual relationship with Head Coach Sabri Lamouchi by mutual agreement and wishes him every success in his future professional endeavours,” the Tunisian Football Federation wrote in an Instagram post.

In a separate post, the federation said that they have appointed Renard as head coach until the end of the 2026 World Cup. He will begin his role immediately under the existing financial terms, with discussions on a longer-term contract to take place after the tournament based on the team’s performance and sporting objectives.

“The Tunisian Football Federation announces the appointment of Herve Renard as head coach of the national team through the end of the 2026 World Cup. He will assume his duties this evening under the same financial terms. The agreement also stipulates that negotiations regarding long-term cooperation–based on specific sporting objectives–will commence following the team’s World Cup campaign,” TFT said in the post.

The Frenchman takes over with Tunisia facing Group F matches against Japan on June 21 and the Netherlands on June 26.

Tunisia is seeking to recover from a 5-1 loss to Sweden in its opening match. The team also suffered a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a pre-tournament friendly.

Renard, 57, brings extensive international experience. He guided Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire to Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2012 and 2015, respectively, and has also managed Morocco and Saudi Arabia.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Renard’s Saudi Arabia side produced one of the tournament’s biggest upsets by defeating eventual champion Argentina 2-1 in its opening match.

Renard most recently coached France’s women’s national team, leading Les Bleues to the 2024 UEFA Women’s Nations League final, according to Xinhua.

His club coaching experience includes spells in France’s top flight with Lille and Sochaux, along with brief stints in England, Algeria, and Vietnam.

–IANS

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