Renard Aims for Honorable Finish, Open to Continued Collaboration

The 57-year-old Frenchman took over the squad during the tournament after Sabri Lamouchi's dismissal. His final Group F match against the Netherlands is scheduled for Thursday night (1:00 AM CET).

Renard was observing the World Cup from Senegal when the Tunisian Football Federation approached him following a 5-1 defeat to Sweden. He inherited a challenging situation, and his debut on the bench resulted in a heavy 4-0 loss to Japan.

Tunisia has already been eliminated from knockout stage contention, having lost both opening matches by four-goal margins. They are the first team since Greece at the 1994 World Cup to have such a start to the tournament.

"I am open to any discussion. I am ready to listen to a project, but that's not why I'm here right now," Renard responded, according to AP, when asked about his future with the national team.

Despite the unfavorable circumstances, the French coach urged his players to conclude the tournament with a dignified performance. "We prepared for the match against Japan as best we could. I'm not used to making excuses or blaming others. I take responsibility, and after the Japan match, I felt ashamed, especially towards the Tunisian fans. Let's focus on the next match and try to achieve something that now seems very difficult."

Renard has previously managed the national teams of Zambia, Angola, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia. His current contract with Tunisia concludes after Thursday's match. "We must finish this competition in the best possible way. Football demands pride even in difficult moments, and we must face them with dignity until the end. I hope we maintain this pride and dignity against a great team like the Netherlands," Renard added.