Following a brutal 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Sweden in their Group F opener, Tunisia made the drastic decision to relieve Sabri Lamouchi of his duties as head coach, naming international Hervé Renard as his replacement.
Just hours after the North African side’s devastating tournament debut, federation officials dismissed the 54-year-old manager, who ultimately lasted just five total matches in charge of the national team.
Forced into an emergency coaching search, Tunisia officially unveiled Renard on June 16—leaving the Frenchman with just five days to prepare for a critical Matchday 2 showdown against Japan, where a defeat would officially eliminate Tunisia from the competition.
Renard brings wealth of World Cup experience to Tunisia
This will be far from the first time the French tactician roams the sidelines on soccer’s biggest stage. In fact, Tunisia marks the third different national team Renard has led into a World Cup tournament.
Herve Renard arrives before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Tunisia and Japan. (Getty Images)
His first showcase came with Morocco at Russia 2018, where his squad managed just a single point in the group stage before an early exit. He followed that up with Saudi Arabia at Qatar 2022, stunning Lionel Messi and eventual champions Argentina with a 2-1 victory in the opening match.
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By taking the helm for Tunisia in 2026, Renard has become only the second French manager in soccer history to coach at least three different nations at the World Cup. He trails only the legendary Henri Michel, who holds the record by managing four different countries: France (1986), Cameroon (1994), Morocco (1998), and the Ivory Coast (2006).
Hervé Renard’s coaching career
The French manager boasts an incredibly seasoned and diverse resume, featuring stints in Europe alongside highly successful tenures guiding multiple national teams across Africa and Asia.
The complete breakdown of Renard’s managerial journey:
- Cambridge United (England) – 2004
- AS Cherbourg (France) – 2005–2007
- Zambia National Team – 2008–2010 / 2011–2013
- Angola National Team – 2010
- USM Alger (Algeria) – 2011
- FC Sochaux (France) – 2013–2014
- Ivory Coast National Team – 2014-1015
- Lille OSC (France) – 2015
- Morocco National Team – 2016-2019
- Saudi Arabia National Team – 2019–2023 / 2024–2026
- Tunisia National Team – 2026-Present
