Hervé Renard Urges Tunisia To End 2026 World Cup With Pride Against Netherlands

Tunisia head coach Hervé Renard has challenged his players to show pride and character when they face the Netherlands in their final group game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Carthage Eagles bowed out of the tournament following a crushing 4-0 defeat to Japan on Sunday, a result that confirmed their elimination after an already difficult campaign.

Tunisia had opened their World Cup journey with a heavy 5-1 loss to Sweden, becoming the first African side to exit the competition, Naija News reports.

Despite the disappointment, Renard insisted his team must finish the tournament on a positive note when they take on the Dutch in their inconsequential last game of the tournament.

“We were too soft defensively. The players tried and never gave up. But we came up against a team that is far superior to us,” Renard said after the defeat.

“You have to keep fighting in difficult moments like these. We will need to show pride and character to approach the third match in the best possible way.”

The Frenchman also admitted he was not surprised by the scale of Japan’s victory, praising their quality and warning against underestimating them.

“Japan beating us 4-0 is not a surprise to me at all. People keep underestimating this team,” he added.

“Their movement, discipline and finishing are on another level. In my opinion, Japan are one of the top three favourites to win this World Cup.”