Tunisia Line Up Herve Renard to Replace sacked Sabri Lamouchi

Tunisia were thrashed 5-1 by Sweden in their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup group match on Monday, prompting the immediate sacking of manager Sabri Lamouchi. The defeat, played at Monterrey Stadium, saw Sweden dominate with a stunning display, highlighted by two long-range strikes from Yasin Ayari and goals from Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Mattias Svanberg. Ayari opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a curled effort into the top right corner, setting the tone for Sweden's attacking onslaught. Isak doubled the lead in the 29th minute, finishing clinically after being set up by Gyökeres on a swift counterattack. Tunisia pulled one back before halftime when Omar Rekik headed in from a Hannibal Mejbri assist, briefly shifting momentum. However, Gyökeres regained Sweden's two-goal advantage in the 59th minute, intercepting a loose ball and slotting home. Substitute Mattias Svanberg added a fifth goal with his first touch of the game, sealing a humiliating result for Tunisia. The Carthage Eagles, previously praised for their defensive discipline during qualifying, offered little resistance in the second half. Tunisia FA Technical Director Mondher Kebaier was initially expected to take interim charge, but reports suggest Herve Renard is now the leading candidate to take over before their next match against Japan on June 21. The appointment has not been officially confirmed. Sweden, despite failing to win a single game in their qualifying campaign, delivered one of the tournament's most commanding opening performances. Tunisia's heavy loss has thrown their World Cup campaign into immediate disarray.

Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →