The Tunisian Football Federation has announced the immediate dismissal of national team manager Sabri Lamouchi, following a resounding 5-1 defeat to Sweden in their first Group F match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The decision comes remarkably early in the tournament, with Tunisia having two crucial group games still to play against Japan and the Netherlands.
Lamouchi, who only took the helm in January, managed a mere five games during his short tenure. His record includes a single victory, a 1-0 win against Haiti, but was marred by a heavy 5-0 loss to Belgium in a pre-tournament warm-up match, which had already fuelled speculation about his position. The comprehensive defeat to Sweden, where goals from Yasin Ayari (twice), Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Mattias Svanberg sealed Tunisia's fate, proved to be the final straw.
In a statement posted on Instagram, the Tunisian FA confirmed, "An agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi. Plans are under way to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach [on an interim basis]." Kebaier is a familiar face, having previously managed the national side between 2019 and 2022, and is expected to lead the team for the remainder of their World Cup campaign across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Managerial changes during major tournaments are uncommon but not unprecedented. Tunisia themselves set a precedent in 1998 by sacking Henryk Kasperczak after two winless matches. That same tournament also saw Cha Bum-kun lose his job with South Korea, while Julen Lopetegui was controversially dismissed by Spain just two days before the 2018 World Cup began. Tunisia now face a significant challenge to progress, needing to secure points against two strong opponents to have any hope of advancing from the group stages, a feat they have never achieved in their World Cup history.
The early exit of a manager underscores the high-stakes pressure associated with international football's premier tournament. With their next fixture against Japan on Saturday, followed by a match against the Netherlands, the interim appointment of Kebaier signals an immediate push for a turnaround, despite the formidable opposition ahead.