Hervé Renard has refused to confirm whether he will remain as Tunisia head coach following the country’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting any decision on his future will come only after the federation has had time to assess the campaign.
Tunisia’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages came to an end after a 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands, leaving the North Africans to bow out at the group stage.
Speaking after the match, Renard was asked directly whether he intended to continue in the role or whether his brief spell with Tunisia had come to an end.
Rather than committing himself either way, the Frenchman suggested the time was not right to make such a decision.
“For the future, we will all go home and we will see what the future will bring,” Renard told reporters.
The former Morocco and Saudi Arabia coach revealed that his appointment had always been intended as a short-term assignment after Tunisia approached him before the tournament.
“The federation called me for a very short mission,” he explained.
“I agreed to this deal. Instead of staying on my couch, watching games and seeing this fantastic event from far away, I said to myself, anyway, I have nothing to lose.”
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Despite Tunisia’s early exit, Renard expressed gratitude to the Tunisian Football Federation, his players and coaching staff for the opportunity.
“It wasn’t enough, but thank you to the federation for calling me. Thank you to the players for giving their all. To the staff for welcoming me in the best way possible.”
Renard also urged the federation to take its time before deciding the next steps, arguing that a thorough assessment of the team’s World Cup campaign should come before any major decisions are made.
“The federation of Tunisia needs to sit down and analyse everything. It’s important.”
He added: “Sometimes to make a decision quickly is not the best. At the moment, everyone will go home, rest a bit and they will have time to make a decision for everything and for the future.”
The 56-year-old also reflected on his coaching journey after being questioned about his reputation for moving between jobs. Renard defended his record, pointing to his five-year spell with Saudi Arabia as evidence of his commitment to long-term projects.
“I spent five years in Saudi Arabia. It was a project,” he said.
“Today, I have the chance to choose what I want to do.”
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