Coach axed after one World Cup game, creates unwanted history
Tunisia wasted little time in the wake of a brutal FIFA World Cup defeat, axing coach Sabri Lamouchi after one game at the tournament.
Lamouchi and the Tunisian Football Association reached a “mutual agreement” to part ways after the side’s 5-1 drubbing against Sweden on Monday (AEST).
The 54-year-old was not impressed by Tunisia's efforts. Ryan Pierse
The 54-year-old had only taken on the top job with the national team in January.
Tunisian officials wasted no time finding a new coach, announcing the arrival of Herve Renard for the rest of the tournament after Lamouchi’s final session.
Renard has great experience in the international football world, having worked with Saudi Arabia’s men’s team before joining the French women’s team in 2023.
He was in charge of Saudi Arabia when they pulled off a huge upset at the 2022 World Cup, defeating eventual winners Argentina 2-1.
The decision to bring in Renard is not the first of its kind for Tunisia, who have made mid-tournament managerial changes in the past.
However, Lamouchi is the first manager in World Cup history to be hit by the axe after just one game at the tournament.
In 1998, Henryk Kasperczak was dismissed from his duties with Tunisia after a poor start to their campaign, failing to win either of their first two games.
Lamouhci admitted watching his team suffer a 5-1 loss on Monday was “painful”.
“Starting the competition with this bad of a loss is indeed difficult,” he said.
“We made too many mistakes, and this is not something that we can do ... we are hurting ourselves.”
Tunisia will return under their new boss on Sunday (AEST) to face Japan, before a clash with the Netherlands in their final group stage match on June 26.
