Hervé Renard, the French football manager, revealed that he received a surprise phone call to become the head coach of the Tunisia national team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The call came after Tunisia's group stage exit, following the resignation of Jalel Kadri.
According to reports, Renard was approached by Tunisian football officials while he was still in Qatar, but he declined the offer. The 55-year-old coach, who previously led Zambia and Ivory Coast to Africa Cup of Nations titles, was not interested in taking over mid-tournament.
Tunisia had been eliminated from the World Cup after finishing third in Group D, behind France and Australia. Kadri stepped down shortly after the tournament, and Renard was considered a top candidate but ultimately did not accept the position.
Renard later took charge of the Saudi Arabia national team in 2023, leading them in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. The Tunisia job eventually went to Montasser Louhichi on an interim basis before a permanent appointment.
