Renard unable to halt Tunisia slide as World Cup ends in misery
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Tunisia v Netherlands - Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. - June 25, 2026 Tunisia coach Herve Renard reacts REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, June 25 : A mid-tournament coaching gamble failed to save Tunisia's World Cup as much-travelled Frenchman Herve Renard could not succeed where Sabri Lamouchi had failed, with a 3-1 defeat by the Netherlands on Thursday sealing a miserable, winless exit.
Arriving on the sport's global stage full of optimism having conceded no goals in qualifying, the North Africans' miserable tournament spiralled from disappointment into disarray and left plenty of questions about the future of the national team.
"We weren't up to par," Renard said. "We are not at the level for this World Cup, this is clear, there is no discussion.
"Now the federation of Tunisia needs to sit down, analyse everything, it's important. At the moment, everyone will go home, rest a bit, and they will have time to make a decision for the future."
Their 12 goals conceded in the group stage from the expanded 48-team tournament format was a World Cup record, topping the previous record of 11 set by Costa Rica at the 2022 World Cup, when the tournament featured 32 teams.
A 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in their opener exposed alarming defensive frailties and prompted the dismissal of Lamouchi after one match.
The mid-tournament change failed to halt the slide.
Tunisia followed up with a 4-0 defeat by Japan that Renard said left him feeling "ashamed," before falling to the Dutch in their Group F finale, leaving them with three defeats.
Defensive mistakes became a recurring theme. Against the Netherlands, Tunisia fell behind in the third minute when Ellyes Skhiri turned Denzel Dumfries' cross into his own net.
They never recovered, despite briefly reducing the deficit through Hazem Mastouri's second-half header that did not even bring a smile from Renard, who remained rooted to his seat as the small contingent of Tunisia fans celebrated.
Players who spoke confidently before the tournament looked increasingly devoid of belief as the losses mounted, and neither the coaching change nor tactical adjustments helped tighten a defence that was repeatedly punished by clinical opponents.
Tunisia's World Cup ended much as it began - chasing the game, making costly errors and searching in vain for answers.
Their early flight home will trigger a period of reflection after a tournament that quickly turned into a nightmare.
The 57-year-old Renard, who stepped in to coach his fifth African national team, has said his future is uncertain.
