Tunisia Replace Coach Lamouchi with Renard after World Cup Rout by Sweden

Tunisia's French head coach Sabri Lamouchi during the 2026 World Cup Group F football match between Sweden and Tunisia at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on June 14, 2026. (Photo by Julio Cesar AGUILAR / AFP)

Asharq Al Awsat

08:48-16 June 2026 AD ـ 01 Muharram 1448 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

08:48-16 June 2026 AD ـ 01 Muharram 1448 AH

Tunisia Replace Coach Lamouchi with Renard after World Cup Rout by Sweden

Tunisia have sacked coach Sabri Lamouchi and replaced him with fellow Frenchman Herve Renard in the wake of the 5-1 defeat by Sweden in their World Cup opener in Monterrey on Sunday, the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) said.

Lamouchi, the first coaching casualty of the tournament, was appointed in January on a contract until 2028. He leaves the post with matches to come against Japan on Saturday and the Netherlands on June 25.

Tunisia won just one of their ⁠five games under ⁠Lamouchi, beating Haiti 1-0 in March, while losing 1-0 to Austria and being thrashed 5-0 by Belgium in a pair of World Cup warm-up matches this month.

In a statement on social media on Tuesday, the TFT said Renard would take charge until ⁠the end of Tunisia's World Cup campaign.

"The agreement also stipulates that negotiations will be opened after the World Cup campaign to consider a long-term partnership based on specific sporting objectives," it added.

According to Reuters, the country's state-owned broadcaster Television Tunisienne reported that Renard would arrive in Monterrey later on Tuesday to link up with the squad.

Renard, twice an Africa Cup of Nations winner, coached Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup ⁠in Qatar ⁠and led them to a famous victory over eventual champions Argentina in the group stage.

He left to coach the French women's team at the World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics, before returning to Saudi Arabia and helping the men's side qualify for a third successive World Cup.

He was then replaced by Georgios Donis in the build-up to the tournament.

Roger Federer Celebrated Upon His Return to the US Open for an Exhibition Against Andy Roddick

Swiss former tennis player Roger Federer reacts to spectators during the “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York” exhibition match during US Open Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 25 August 2026. (EPA)

08:37-26 August 2026 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Roger Federer Celebrated Upon His Return to the US Open for an Exhibition Against Andy Roddick

Five-time US Open champion Roger Federer returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night to play one last match for fun against longtime rival and friend Andy Roddick.

The event billed as “An Icon Returns to New York” packed the stands full of fans there to watch the 45-year-old from Switzerland face Roddick — soon to be 44 — in a prime time exhibition. Many wore hats with the distinctive “RF” logo that became commonplace in the sport during Federer's decade and a half of dominance featuring 20 Grand Slam titles.

“It's great to be back in New York,” Federer said. “I have incredible memories, obviously, of this court, of the fans here, of the city.”

Federer reminisced about visiting for the first time to play juniors in 1998 and reaching the final. Three years later, his debut on center court was a straight-sets loss to Andre Agassi.

“He smashed me 6-1, 6-2, 6-4,” Federer said. “I had no shot. And I was like, ‘OK, not so easy, not fast, Roger.’ But, still, I’ll remember this center court forever.”

In 2005, Federer defeated Agassi to win the US Open for the second of five in a row through ’08.

“The one against Andre, I think, was extremely special: playing a legend that was coming towards the end of his career — that we had a chance to play against each other,” Federer said. “And every player I was able to play against in the finals here also was a US Open champion. It’s been an incredible run. I loved it.”

Roddick, who won the tournament in '03, credited the fans and Federer for his return.

“It comes down to Roger,” Roddick said. "Obviously we played a bunch and he beat me a bunch, but we were always able to navigate a friendship through the middle of our careers that’s lasted till now and will hopefully last forever. It’s just about showing up when Roger asks you to.”

Federer, who last competed at the US Open in 2019 and retired in 2022, then teamed up with John McEnroe and faced Roddick and Agassi in a doubles exhibition.

Sports

Leipzig Re-Sign Forward Nkunku on Loan from AC Milan

Leipzig's French forward Christopher Nkunku (R) celebrates scoring 2-0 during the German first division Bundesliga football match between RB Leipzig and FC Schalke 04 in Leipzig, eastern Germany on May 27, 2023. (AFP)

08:35-26 August 2026 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

Leipzig Re-Sign Forward Nkunku on Loan from AC Milan

RB Leipzig ‌have signed French forward Christopher Nkunku from AC Milan on loan with an option to buy, the Bundesliga club said on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old returns to Leipzig after playing for the club from 2019 to 2023. He ‌scored 70 ‌goals and won ‌two ⁠German Cups during ⁠that stint, and finished as joint top scorer in the 2022–23 Bundesliga season.

"He has already shown the exceptional talent that he brings ⁠to the table and ‌that he ‌can make a difference in games," ‌Leipzig's managing director for sport ‌Marcel Schaefer said in a statement.

Nkunku, who began his career at Paris Saint-Germain, moved ‌to Chelsea in 2023 and struggled with injuries at ⁠Stamford ⁠Bridge, but won the Conference League and Club World Cup with the Premier League side.

He signed for Milan last year and scored eight goals in 35 appearances in the 2025-26 season.

He has made 18 international appearances for France.

Sports

North Korea to ‘Bring Joy’ to Kim with 100 Athletes at Asian Games

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - Opening Ceremony - Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Hangzhou, China - September 23, 2023 Athletes from North Korea hold their national flag at the Opening Ceremony. (Reuters)

08:35-26 August 2026 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1448 AH

North Korea to ‘Bring Joy’ to Kim with 100 Athletes at Asian Games

North Korea will send about 100 athletes to compete across 14 sports at the Asian Games in Japan next month, a senior official said, aiming to "bring joy to Marshal Kim Jong Un".

The nuclear-armed state suspended participation in international sporting competitions during the Covid pandemic but returned at the Asian Games in China in 2023 and also took part in the Paris Olympics.

The team for the regional Games in Nagoya and the Aichi region includes two Japan-based ethnic Koreans competing in women's football and karate, said Ko Chol Ho, secretary general of North Korea's Olympic committee.

"Our delegation will send more than 100 athletes to compete in 14 sports, including men's and women's football, weightlifting, boxing and wrestling," Ko told Choson Sinbo, a pro-North Korean publication based in Japan, during an interview in Pyongyang.

"We are making every effort, driven by a strong desire to live up to the expectations of our country and people by achieving even greater results at the upcoming Games," the official said, in remarks published Tuesday.

He noted that the delegation would be smaller than the one sent to the Hangzhou Games of 2023 but said he hoped it would win more medals.

Authoritarian North Korea won 11 golds last time, half of them in weightlifting.

The official said that morale among the athletes was high for the event, which runs from September 19 to October 4, and they were motivated to win for their leader.

"Our athletes are training tirelessly every day, determined to bring joy to Marshal Kim," he said.

North Korea has recently been hurling criticism at Japan, a former regional colonial power, over what Pyongyang describes as its remilitarization.

Tunisia Replace Coach Lamouchi with Renard after World Cup Rout by Sweden

Most Viewed

Roger Federer Celebrated Upon His Return to the US Open for an Exhibition Against Andy Roddick

Leipzig Re-Sign Forward Nkunku on Loan from AC Milan

North Korea to ‘Bring Joy’ to Kim with 100 Athletes at Asian Games

لم تشترك بعد