Tunisia fired Sabri Lamouchi about 48 hours after a 5-1 loss to Sweden in its next world cup game. Herve Renard has already taken over, turning one opening defeat into an abrupt coaching change before Tunisia’s tougher tests against Japan and the Netherlands.
Tunisia and Sweden
The dismissal came after Tunisia’s first match at the 2026 World Cup, and it arrived with the team still facing Japan and the Netherlands. Lamouchi had been in the job for five months after replacing Sami Trabelsi in January.
That span included a 5-0 loss to Belgium before the tournament, then the 5-1 defeat to Sweden that ended his short World Cup run almost as soon as it began. Tunisia had also beaten Haiti, drawn 0-0 with Canada and lost 1-0 to Austria under his watch.
Lamouchi in January
Lamouchi was appointed in January and inherited a side that had already moved on from Trabelsi after Tunisia won only one game at the Africa Cup of Nations and went out in the round of 16 to Mali. He opened with a win over Haiti, but the results that followed left little margin once the World Cup started.
The coach had tried to keep the focus narrow before the Sweden match, saying, “I cannot complain — look at where I am. I’m very positive, I’m here to try to enjoy this World Cup.” After the defeat, he said, “It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful,” and added, “Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult.”
Herve Renard Takes Over
Renard steps into a group that has already conceded five to Sweden and lost one goal of control in the first match. Omar Rekik summed up the mood inside the camp after the loss: “We need to look ourselves in the mirror,” and, “Ten goals in two games is crazy.”
Lamouchi’s firing after one World Cup game fits the urgency of Tunisia’s position. The team still has two heavy opponents ahead, and the coaching change leaves Renard to steady a squad that has already been hit hard before the tournament could settle.
