Hervé Renard quits as Tunisia coach after 18 days and World Cup group-stage exit

A brief tenure

Hervé Renard's time as Tunisia head coach lasted just 18 days. The 57-year-old Frenchman was appointed on June 16, mid-tournament, after Sabri Lamouchi was sacked in the wake of a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in the opening World Cup group match. Renard oversaw two further losses before announcing his departure on Instagram on Saturday, July 4. "My adventure ends here," he wrote. He thanked the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) for the opportunity, saying it was "an honor to wear Tunisia's colors and to live this unforgettable experience."

World Cup campaign unravels

Tunisia entered the 2026 World Cup with confidence after topping their qualifying group without conceding a single goal. That defensive solidity vanished in the group stage. Under Lamouchi, they lost 5-1 to Sweden. Renard could not reverse the momentum: a 4-0 defeat to Japan and a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands eliminated Tunisia from Group F without a point. The 12 goals conceded set a new World Cup record for the group stage, surpassing the 11 Costa Rica allowed in 2022. Tunisia's campaign ended at the bottom of the group, with the team's only goal coming in the Netherlands match.

Renard's coaching pedigree

Renard is one of African football's most decorated coaches. He led Zambia to a surprise Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012 and repeated the feat with Côte d'Ivoire in 2015, becoming the first manager to win the tournament with two different nations. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, his Saudi Arabia team stunned eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in their opening match. He also coached Morocco at the 2018 World Cup and took charge of France's women's team in 2023. Before joining Tunisia, Renard had been out of work since being sacked by Saudi Arabia in April during his second stint with the team. After his Tunisia exit, he said he expects to continue coaching in Africa, citing "the respect I am shown there."

Tunisia's coaching carousel

Renard's departure extends a period of extreme turnover. He was Tunisia's seventh head coach since the start of 2024 and the 13th since July 2018. Lamouchi, who held the role for five months, became the first coach ever dismissed after just one World Cup match. He had replaced Sami Trabelsi, who was let go after a last-16 exit at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations despite an unbeaten qualifying campaign. Lamouchi won only one of his five matches in charge, a friendly against Haiti.

What's next

The FTF had stated that Renard's contract was only through the end of the World Cup, with talks planned for a longer-term deal. Those negotiations will not happen. The federation now searches for an eighth coach in two and a half years. Renard, meanwhile, departs with his broader reputation intact but his brief Tunisian chapter closed.