The world of football has witnessed an unprecedented event: for the first time in World Cup history, the head coach of a national team has been fired after just the first match of the tournament. The Tunisian Football Federation made a radical decision immediately following a crushing 1:5 defeat against the Swedish national team. Renowned French specialist Hervé Renard has been appointed to replace the dismissed Sabri Lamouchi.

Historic Sacking and Crisis Within the Team

The defeat in the opening round of the group stage proved to be the last straw for the federation's leadership. During Sabri Lamouchi's tenure, the Tunisian national team played five matches, securing only one win, one draw, and suffering three losses. However, official sources cite not only the results but also serious tension in the locker room between the coaching staff, the federation, and the leading players as the reason for the resignation.

This incident has gone down in history as the first case where a coach left his post at the World Cup after a single match. The decision was made instantly in an attempt to stabilize the situation before the upcoming games.

Hervé Renard: The 'King' of World Cups

57-year-old Frenchman Hervé Renard has been appointed as the new helmsman of the Tunisian national team. His contract is set to last until the end of the current World Cup, although the agreement stipulates that negotiations for long-term cooperation will begin immediately after the tournament, depending on the achievement of specific sporting goals.

For Renard, this World Cup will be the third in his career, with three completely different national teams:

  • 2018: He led the Moroccan national team, which suffered two defeats and drew one match during the group stage.
  • 2022: He coached Saudi Arabia, remembered for a sensational 2:1 victory over the eventual champions, Argentina.
  • 2023: He managed the French women's national team, reaching the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup.

Notably, the Frenchman's previous job was with the Saudi Arabian national team. Renard successfully guided the Saudis to the 2026 World Cup but was unexpectedly fired just two months before the start of the tournament.

Action Plan and Upcoming Match

It is expected that Renard will arrive in Mexico on June 16 and conduct his first training session with the team in Monterrey in the evening. He faces the urgent task of establishing contact with the players and restructuring the tactics. The Tunisian national team will play their next World Cup 2026 match under the new coach on Sunday, June 21, against the Japanese national team.