Lamouchi was appointed in January and his position was already in danger before the start of the tournament after a 5-0 defeat against Belgium in the pre-tournament friendly game. According to reports, the presence of his son at Tunisia’s training camp during the team’s World Cup preparations raised concerns within the soccer federation, with officials reportedly questioning why he was granted access despite not being an official member of the delegation, asking Lamouchi to explain the circumstances of his decisions.

The former France international also faced criticism for several controversial calls ahead of the tournament, most notably leaving out experienced players such as Ferjani Sassi and Yassine Meriah, who have more than 200 international caps between them. Lamouchi instead chose to change the squad following Tunisia’s disappointing AFCON 2025 campaign earlier this year, opting for a new-look team at the World Cup.