Need to know
A new man will take charge of Tunisia’s Group F clash against Japan at the World Cup after Sabri Lamouchi became the first manager to be sacked during the tournament
Newly appointed coach of Tunisia, Herve Renard
Everything you need to know about the manager who will take charge of Tunisia in their World Cup clash against Japan…
- Sabri Lamouchi sacking: Lamouchi was sacked after a humiliating 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in Tunisia’s opening group match, exposing severe defensive frailties. The crushing loss was deemed one of the worst results in the nation’s international history and reportedly triggered immense dressing room tensions.
- The official Federation statement: The Tunisian Football Federation announced that they parted ways with Lamouchi by mutual agreement and thanked him for his service. Lamouchi’s tactical choices were already under heavy scrutiny following a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in a pre-tournament warm-up match.
- Poor results: Under Lamouchi’s brief tenure since January, Tunisia managed to win only one of their five matches, forcing football authorities to act quickly before the campaign collapsed completely.
- Rapid appointment: The Tunisian Football Federation announced the immediate hiring of Herve Renard as the national team’s new head coach through to the end of the 2026 World Cup. The federation moved swiftly following the dismissal of Lamouchi to ensure the team had leadership ahead of their crucial match against Japan.
- Immediate focus: Upon his arrival at the team’s training base in Monterrey, Mexico, Renard immediately commanded his first training session with the squad. He publicly challenged the players to lift their heads, forget the opening defeat, and focus all of their energy on bouncing back against Japan.
- Tunisia vs Japan date and kick-off time: The Group F clash between Tunisia and Japan is scheduled for Sunday, June 21 at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. This highly anticipated fixture will kick off at 5:00AM for viewers tuning in from the UK.
- Group F standings and stakes: Japan enters the second group game with confidence following an impressive 2-2 draw against the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Tunisia desperately needs a result to bounce back from the heavy defeat to Sweden in their opener.
- Renard’s message to the Tunisia squad: “I’ve told the players that they have to keep their heads up – you are here to represent your country,” Renard added. “At the moment, we need to be strictly focused on ourselves. We still have a few days to be ready.”
- READ MORE: World Cup manager brutally sacked after thrashing in opening game