In his first media appearance since his turbulent departure, former Tunisia manager Sabri Lamouchi has broken his silence regarding his dramatic sacking during the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Lamouchi’s tenure with the Carthage Eagles ended abruptly after just one World Cup match—a heavy 5-1 defeat against Sweden. The manager revealed the shocking way he discovered his dismissal, explaining that he first learned about it through a “tweet” published on the Tunisian Football Federation’s (FTF) official account, which was quickly deleted shortly after. He described the decision as “sudden, shocking, and completely unexpected.”
Betrayal Behind the Scenes: Herve Renard’s Arrival
The manager expressed his deep suspicion and shock when he realized his successor, Hervé Renard, was already on board the plane heading to the team’s training camp before Lamouchi had even been officially dismissed. This indicates that the decision to sack him had been pre-planned and finalized long before the kickoff against Sweden.
Furthermore, Lamouchi added:
“The players strongly rejected this decision. They contacted the federation officials and demanded that I remain in charge of the technical staff, but the decision had already been made, and there was no turning back.”
Hostility on the Bench and Regrets Over Ferjani Sassi
Lamouchi shared a highly distressing incident that occurred right before his final match:
“Just two minutes before the national anthems were played in the Sweden match, I was subjected to harsh, deeply hurtful verbal abuse by three individuals standing directly behind the team bench. It left me feeling highly insecure and uneasy from the very beginning.”
Reflecting on his time with the team, Lamouchi expressed his single biggest regret:
“The biggest mistake of my career with Tunisia was not insisting on calling up Ferjani Sassi to be part of the World Cup squad. That group completely lacked a leader—a player with his immense experience and strong personality on the pitch.”
