New Tunisia head coach Hervé Renard has admitted that the task ahead will not be easy as he prepares to rescue the country’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
The experienced French manager made the remarks during his first press conference since being appointed as Tunisia’s new head coach following the dismissal of Sabri Lamouchi.
Renard takes over at a difficult time for the Carthage Eagles after their crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their opening World Cup match.
The loss came just days after Tunisia suffered another heavy defeat, losing 5-0 to Belgium in a pre-World Cup friendly, meaning the North African side has conceded 10 goals in its last two matches.
Despite the difficult situation, Renard said the opportunity to coach at another FIFA World Cup was a challenge he could not resist.
“At the moment we need to be focused on ourselves. We still have a few days to be ready,” Renard told reporters.
“It’s a World Cup. I know the passion around this event. That’s what motivated me to come and it’s a challenge which isn’t easy.”
Renard arrives with a wealth of experience and a strong reputation in international football. He is widely respected for leading Zambia to a historic Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012 before guiding Ivory Coast to AFCON glory in 2015.
He also coached Morocco at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and famously led Saudi Arabia to a stunning victory over eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.
Now, the 57-year-old faces another major test as he attempts to revive Tunisia’s campaign and keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in history.
With crucial group matches against Japan and the Netherlands still to come, all eyes will be on Renard to see whether he can inspire an immediate turnaround for the struggling Tunisian side.
