Tunisia and Japan will face off in the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage in Monterrey. Tunisia started the season with a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden, which led to the dismissal of head coach Sabri Lamouchi, and Hervé Renard is now urgently in charge. Japan, coming off a hard-fought 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, is approaching the game in excellent spirits. The Samurai are unbeaten in eight matches and are currently the clear favorites.
Tunisia's situation looks disastrous: their last two matches (against Belgium and Sweden) ended 1-10 on aggregate, and their defense is in complete disarray. Japan, on the other hand, is demonstrating stability, confidence, and strict discipline. Furthermore, their head-to-head record favors them: they have won five of their six matches against Tunisia, keeping five clean sheets. Given the difference in class and playing form, the Carthaginian Eagles have almost no chance.
Even with Renard's tactical genius, who once led Saudi Arabia to victory over Argentina, it's unlikely he'll be able to fix all of the team's problems in a matter of days. Japan is a well-coordinated and strong team that consistently beats this opponent.
