After a heavy defeat in their opening match at the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America, Tunisia has taken drastic measures to turn things around. Following a mid-tournament coaching change, the team has also restricted players' social media activity, placing all its focus on the match against Japan.
Tunisia will play Japan in their second Group F match at 1 p.m. at Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on Sunday.
Tunisia was pushed to the brink of group-stage elimination after a 1-5 loss to Sweden in their opening match. In response, the Tunisian Football Federation dismissed head coach Sabri Lamouchi and appointed Hervé Renard as the new manager.
Replacing a coach immediately after the first match while the World Cup finals are underway is highly unusual. The move is interpreted as a sign that the federation judged the national team needed a strong shock to the system.
Renard is regarded as one of African football's most accomplished coaches. He has led the national teams of Ivory Coast, Morocco and Zambia, and at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, as Saudi Arabia's coach, he pulled off an upset by defeating an Argentina side led by Lionel Messi.
Immediately after taking charge, he moved to instill discipline in the squad. According to Japanese outlet Nikkan Sports and French outlet L'Équipe, Renard instructed players to refrain from using social media during the World Cup. The intention is for them to focus solely on their matches without being swayed by outside criticism and public opinion.
In front of the squad, he is reported to have sternly rebuked the players, saying: "Where is your pride? Anyone who thinks they came here for a picnic or to take photos is completely mistaken, so they can pack their bags and leave right now."
He also said, "How many years did it take to get here? Four years, and six if you include the qualifiers," adding, "We must not ruin all of that in just one week."
He went on to urge the players to wake up, stressing, "I want to see your reaction. You can make mistakes. But you must show a reaction."
Renard repeatedly emphasized the importance of organization and team unity. "How long did it take to get to the World Cup?" he said. "I have no intention of throwing everything away in one week."
He added, "In football, you cannot win unless you play as a united block. There are no magicians in football. If we believe we cannot win against Japan, then we should go home. It is only about effort, preparation, and delivering good performances at the crucial moments."
