Tunisia Turn to Familiar Face as World Cup Humiliation Sparks Third Coaching Change in Six Months
Mondher Kebaier is set to return to the Eagles of Carthage dugout after Sabri Lamouchi reportedly paid the price for Tunisia’s disastrous 5-1 defeat to Sweden.
The Tunisian Football Federation’s reported decision to sack Sabri Lamouchi less than 24 hours after a humiliating 5-1 World Cup defeat to Sweden has exposed a national team trapped in a cycle of panic, with Mondher Kebaier now expected to become Tunisia’s third head coach in just six months.
Tunisia arrived at the 2026 World Cup dreaming of a first appearance in the knockout rounds. Instead, a disastrous opening-night collapse in Monterrey has triggered another managerial upheaval, leaving the Eagles of Carthage searching for answers while their tournament hangs in the balance. Sweden’s relentless attack tore apart Tunisia’s defence, with Yasin Ayari scoring twice in a 5-1 rout that ranks among the country’s heaviest World Cup defeats.
The move continues a remarkable pattern of instability. Sami Trabelsi, the coach who guided Tunisia to the World Cup, was shown the door after the Africa Cup of Nations. Lamouchi was appointed in January with a mandate to lead the country through the finals, but lasted only a handful of matches before becoming the latest casualty of Tunisia’s growing crisis.
Now the federation appears ready to turn to a familiar figure. Multiple reports indicate that Mondher Kebaier, currently serving as the federation’s technical director, is the leading candidate to take charge for the remainder of the tournament. Kebaier previously managed Tunisia between 2019 and 2022 before being dismissed following an AFCON quarter-final exit.
His potential return would complete a remarkable circle. Four years after being sacked over continental disappointment, Kebaier could find himself tasked with rescuing Tunisia’s World Cup campaign after one of the darkest nights in the nation’s football history.
The urgency is understandable. Tunisia were already under pressure after poor results in the build-up to the tournament, and Lamouchi himself admitted after the Sweden defeat that costly mistakes had punished his side. With Japan next and the Netherlands still to come, federation officials evidently felt they could not wait any longer.
Whether Kebaier’s return provides stability or simply becomes another chapter in Tunisia’s revolving-door coaching saga remains to be seen. What is certain is that a nation that started 2026 dreaming of making history is now preparing to enter its second World Cup match under a third different manager in half a year.
