Hervé Renard takes charge of Tunisia for must-win World Cup clash against Japan in tournament's 1000th match
Tunisia sacked Sabri Lamouchi after a 5-1 thrashing by Sweden and appointed Hervé Renard mid-tournament; their next Group F fixture against Japan is also the 1000th World Cup match, with elimination looming if they fail to win.
A coaching earthquake
Tunisia's World Cup campaign started with a 5-1 defeat to Sweden, prompting the federation to fire Sabri Lamouchi within days. Lamouchi had been in charge since January 2026 and oversaw just five matches, with a single friendly win against Haiti. Into the breach steps Hervé Renard, a 57-year-old Frenchman whose track record in Africa includes Africa Cup of Nations titles with Zambia (2012) and Ivory Coast (2015), a World Cup qualification with Morocco (2018), and the famous 2-1 win over Argentina while coaching Saudi Arabia in 2022.
I didn't hesitate for a single second. The World Cup is the greatest football event, perhaps the greatest sporting event in the world. Taking part is a fantastic opportunity, a gift from the sky, especially after the start of the competition. So don't hesitate. The challenge is not easy, but you have to have resilience, keep moving forward, keep believing.
The 1000th match milestone
Sunday's Tunisia-Japan clash carries symbolic weight: it is the 1,000th match in World Cup history, a tournament first held in 1930. To mark the occasion, referee Istvan Kovacs will wear a fluorescent orange jersey with gold stripes on the shoulders and a gold badge on the left sleeve reading "Match 1 000". The 41-year-old Romanian is officiating his first World Cup game as head referee, supported by compatriots Ferencz Tunyogi and Mihai Marica, with Costa Rican VAR officials Juan Calderón and Juan C.
Japan in the driving seat
Japan come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, a result that leaves them well-placed in Group F. The Samurai Blue, led technically by Daichi Kamada, face a Tunisia side that must win to stay alive. The Carthage Eagles were thrashed 5-0 by Belgium in a pre-tournament friendly as well. Renard will hope that the speed of Elias Achouri and the creativity of Ismaël Gharbi can unsettle Japan's defence, while midfielders Hannibal Mejbri and Ben Slimane try to bring stability.
Tomorrow we have to play a perfect collective game. I found a group that is open-minded, determined, full of spirit. They want their revenge. I am not a sorcerer. In football, there is a lot of work.
Match details and stakes
Kick-off is at 6:00 a.m. French time (0600 CEST) at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico. The game will be broadcast on beIN Sports 1. If Tunisia lose and the Netherlands beat Sweden later, the Carthage Eagles will be eliminated from the tournament. Probable line-ups: Tunisia set up in a 4-3-3 with Chamakh in goal; a back four of Valery, Rekik, Talbi, Ben Hamida; a midfield trio of Skhiri, Khedira, Slimane; and a forward line of Mejbri, Abdi, Saad. Japan counter with Suzuki in goal, a three-man back line of Ito, Watanabe, Taniguchi, wing-backs Doan and Nakamura, and Kamada, Sano, J. Ito, Ueda, Maeda in attack.
