Mouine Chaâbani appointed Tunisia head coach: What have homegrown managers achieved with the Carthage Eagles?

The Tunisian Football Federation has officially appointed Mouine Chaâbani as the new head coach of the Carthage Eagles, replacing Hervé Renard, who left after just two World Cup matches. The former ES Tunis and RS Berkane boss arrives with plenty of ambition, but little certainty—especially given the string of underwhelming results from local coaches with Tunisia in recent years.

Chaâbani, an experienced profile

While he's never managed a national team before, Mouine Chaâbani has made a name for himself at club level: with ES Tunis, he lifted back-to-back CAF Champions League trophies in 2018 and 2019, and with RS Berkane, he delivered their first-ever Moroccan league title, as well as clinching the CAF Confederation Cup for 2024-2025.

He steps in for Hervé Renard, who was brought in mid-World Cup to succeed Sabri Lamouchi. Lamouchi was dismissed after just one official match—a heavy 1-5 defeat to Sweden at the 2026 World Cup.

An all-Tunisian backroom staff

Chaâbani will be supported by an all-Tunisian staff: Mourad Melki and Seifallah Hosni as assistants, Khaled Maghzaoui as goalkeeping coach, Hatem Boulila as fitness coach, and Wissem Safouat as video analyst.

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The only major title the Carthage Eagles have ever won remains the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, lifted on home soil under Roger Lemerre. The French tactician led a brilliant generation to glory: a rock-solid defensive duo in Khaled Badra and Radhi Jaidi, midfield maestro Riadh Bouazizi, Zied Jaziri, Sélim Benachour, and the Brazilian-born pair Francileudo Dos Santos and José Clayton.

Ten local coaches in the 21st century

Mouine Chaâbani becomes the 11th homegrown head coach to take charge of the Tunisian national team since the dawn of the 21st century. And it must be said—none of them have truly delivered notable results.

Since 2000, Tunisia has been managed by Ammar Souayah (2002 and 2011), Khemaïs Laabidi (2002), Youssef Zouaoui (2002), Faouzi Benzarti (2009-2010, 2011, 2018 and 2024), Sami Trabelsi (2011-2013, 2025), Nabil Maâloul (2013, 2017-2018), Mondher Kebaier (2019-2023), Jalel Kadri (2023-2024), Montassar Louhichi (2024), and Kais Yaakoubi (2024).

What do all these coaches have in common? None have managed to make a real mark with the national team—except for the 2011 CHAN title, won by Sami Trabelsi with the local-based squad.

Mouine Chaâbani knows this all too well. He’ll need results—and fast—if he wants to survive in the job, as that’s the only way to win over a notoriously demanding Tunisian fanbase.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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