REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
Apparently, the standards for Tunisia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup are far, far higher than anyone expected.
The Eagles of Carthage are appearing in their seventh World Cup this summer, including their third in a row. However, they’ve never made it out of the group stage in six previous appearances.
This year, though, with a 48-team field and 32 teams advancing to the knockout round, the expectations seem to have changed, which is why Tunisia fired manager Sabri Lamouchi on Monday following a 5-1 blowout loss to Sweden in its opening match of the tournament.
The loss already puts Tunisia’s chances of advancing, even as a third-place team, in doubt with two games still remaining against Japan and the Netherlands.
Tunisia Manager Sabri Lamouchi Has A Brutal History With The FIFA World Cup
Lamouchi, who grew up in Lyon, France the son of two Tunisian parents, has experienced plenty of World Cup heartbreak before the loss to Sweden and his firing.
In 1998, he was one of the last players to be cut from a French team that would go on to win the World Cup in front of its home fans. Then, in 2014, Lamouchi managed an Ivory Coast side that was surprisingly eliminated in the group stage in Brazil.
The Tunisian FA was tight-lipped about the situation on Monday, claiming on that “We have a problem with the coach,” according to ESPN.
However, according to independent journalist Matteo Trabelsi, “Lamouchi’s behavior in the locker room 🇹🇳 and his weak ability to rally the team,” were major issues within the team. “We were accused of lying to destabilize the group. Result: fired after the first group stage match. Bravo coach, it must be the journalists’ fault,” Trabelsi stated.
Trabelsi and fellow journalist Romain Molina had previously written about issues with the Tunisian dressing room. No replacement has been named for Lamouchi with Tunisia’s second game, against Japan, just six days away.