Hervé Renard: "I'm not a magician" on debut as Tunisia national coach

Hervé Renard is sober about his debut as Tunisia's national coach. The French coach, who was hired shortly after the painful 5-1 defeat against Sweden, emphasizes that miracles should not be expected from him immediately. "I am not a magician," Renard said to the media on the eve of his first match at the helm of the North African team.

Tunisia faces an interesting showdown with Japan on the night from Saturday to Sunday. This match is all the more important because it takes place in the same World Cup 2026 group as the Dutch national team, which is the favorite to win the group. Renard is trying to get his team back on track in the short term after the loss to Sweden, but is tempering hopes for an immediate result.


How quickly Renard can actually exert influence will become apparent in the match against Japan, a country known for its dynamic play and discipline. In this tough World Cup group, all points are very important, especially because the Dutch team is lurking for a group win. It is important for Tunisia to recover and gain confidence heading into the remaining group matches.

With his extensive international experience, Renard knows better than anyone how quickly expectations can be derailed with a new appointment. Yet the focus remains on working on improvement, with the ultimate goal being a good result against Japan and leaving a strong impression in the Dutch group.

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