World Cup: "Miracle Coach" Fails to Deliver Miracle for Tunisia as New Manager Expected to Leave After Two Games

Tunisia's campaign in the 2026 World Cup has ended in disappointment, with the team eliminated after suffering two consecutive losses. The team's struggles led to the dismissal of head coach Sabri Lamouchi, with French manager Hervé Renard stepping in on an interim basis.

Renard, who has earned the nickname "Miracle Coach" for his past successes, including leading Zambia and Ivory Coast to Africa Cup of Nations titles and guiding Saudi Arabia to a famous victory over Argentina in the 2022 World Cup, could not inspire a turnaround for Tunisia. The team lost their opening match 5-1 to Sweden and followed it with a 4-0 defeat to Japan, becoming the first team to lose their first two World Cup matches by a four-goal margin since Greece in 1994.

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I came for the World Cup mission, and after the World Cup, there is no contract.

Renard confirmed that his role was a short-term solution specifically for the World Cup. "I came for the World Cup mission, and after the World Cup, there is no contract," he stated. This clarification addresses speculation about whether his appointment was part of a long-term rebuilding plan for the Tunisian team.

Despite the early exit, Tunisia still has one group stage match remaining against the Netherlands. The team aims to avoid setting further negative records, such as becoming the first African team to lose all group matches since Egypt in 2018. Renard urged his players to maintain their motivation and professionalism, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation but emphasizing the responsibility they carry representing their nation.

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We must maintain our motivation, this is very important because we represent a country. After two consecutive losses, the situation is not easy, but we must take responsibility and face the next match with professionalism.