Lamouchi: It was a heavy defeat, but we still have a chance to qualify

Tunisia were beaten 5-1 by Sweden in their opening World Cup 2026 match, and coach Sabri Lamouchi called the display disappointing.

Lamouchi said Sweden were the better side and made the most of Tunisia’s mistakes. He pointed to a lack of concentration at key moments and said his team did not reach the level expected.

He also highlighted defensive problems, saying the gaps between Tunisia’s lines grew too large against Sweden’s attack. Lamouchi said mistakes against players of the calibre of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres were always likely to be punished.

Despite the heavy loss, Lamouchi said Tunisia still have two important matches to come, against Japan and the Netherlands. He added that the squad must recover quickly mentally and respond in a different way if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.

Lamouchi also thanked Tunisia’s supporters, saying the team understood their frustration and would try to make amends in the next games.