PARIS: Herve Renard, who took over from Sabri Lamouchi as Tunisia coach in the middle of the World Cup, announced on Saturday that he was stepping down after just two matches in charge of the Eagles of Carthage.

“My adventure (with Tunisia) has come to an end,” the 57-year-old Frenchman posted on Instagram.

“Before I leave, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Tunisian Football Federation for allowing me to take part in the 2026 World Cup.

“It was an honour to represent Tunisia and to have this unforgettable experience,” added Renard, who has guided Zambia and Ivory Coast to Africa Cup of Nations glory.

Renard had been appointed by the federation on June 16 to succeed Lamouchi, who was sacked after Tunisia’s 5-1 thrashing by Sweden in their opening match.

But the former Saudi Arabia boss fared no better than his predecessor, overseeing a 4-0 loss to Japan and a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the north Africans’ remaining two group matches.

Following Tunisia’s elimination, Renard told AFP that he had come “for this World Cup”, without specifying whether Tunisia had asked him to extend his contract.

Renard had been set to guide Saudi Arabia through the World Cup but was sacked from his post less than two months before the start of the tournament in North America.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2026