The 23rd in the preview covers Tunisia who play Sweden, which might turn another late night banger after last three late games have all been good. This preview is shared by u/A_Round_of_Gwent About Nickname: نسور قرطاج (The Eagles of Carthage) Association: Fédération Tunisienne de Football (FTF) Confederation: CAF Previous World Cup appearances: 6 (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022) Best World Cup Finish: Group Stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022) Most caps: Radhi Jaïdi (105) Most goals: Issam Jemaa (36) Head coach: Sabri Lamouchi Captain: Ellyes Skhiri FIFA ranking: 44 (as of 1 April 2026) Highest FIFA ranking: 14 (April-May 2018) The Country Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a North African country situated along the Mediterranean coast. Despite its small size, it possesses a very diverse landscape, ranging from the fertile coastal plains to the mountainous north, without forgetting the vast Sahara desert in the south. Tunisia has a rich history, having been shaped by various civilizations such as the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Ottomans, before becoming a French protectorate in 1881. But following the rise of the nationalist movement led by the Neo Destour party, Tunisia finally got its independence from France in 1956 (though French military still kept control of the city of Bizerte until 1961) under the leadership of Habib Bourguiba, who would go on to be the country's first, and probably most influential, president. Bourguiba sought to modernize Tunisia and instill progressive values in the conservative Tunisian society, so he reformed the educational system, healthcare and was an advocate of women's rights, which eventually established Tunisia as one of the most socially progressive states in the Arab World. However, the latter part of his 30 year reign as president was marked by his authoritarian tendencies, his declining health and general political turmoil. His prime minister Zine El Abidine Ben Ali overthrew him in a coup d'état in 1987 and established an authoritarian regime that further restricted political freedoms despite continued economic growth and stability. In 2011, Tunisia became the birthplace of the Arab Spring, when widespread protests erupted against Ben Ali due to corruption, unemployment and the rising cost of living, eventually leading to the overthrow of his government. This marked the first step in Tunisia's transition towards democracy, which culminated in the adoption of a new constitution, increased freedom of speech, and a series of competitive elections. However, the transition was accompanied by economic difficulties and security challenges. In 2021, president Kais Saied consolidated his authority through a series of controversial constitutional and political reforms, prompting debate both domestically and internationally over the future of democratic institutions in the country. Despite those challenges, Tunisia remains an important economic and cultural hub in North Africa, and Africa as a whole. Supported by sectors such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and services, Tunisia possesses a diverse economy, bolstered by its strategic position that facilitates trade with Europe, Africa and the Middle East. However, it still suffers from rising unemployment, economic stagnation and regional inequalities, challenges the government has been trying to overcome for years. Footballing History Following independence, Tunisia quickly established itself as one of Africa's strongest nations. It entered the AFCON qualifiers for the first time in 1962, where it beat Morocco and Nigeria to qualify to the main tournament. In their very first continental appearance, they finished 3rd after beating Uganda in the first place match. This early success continued, as Tunisia won the inaugural edition of the Arab cup in 1963 and reached the final of the 1965 AFCON on home soil. However, this was followed by a period of decline, as Tunisia failed to qualify to the 1968 and 1976 editions and did not even participate in the qualifiers for the 1970, 1972 and 1974 editions. But 1978 marked the brief reemergence of Tunisia as an African power. Led by stars such as Sadok Sassi, Tarak Dhiab and Hammadi Agrebi, they made their World Cup debut in 1978, where they became the first Arab and African nation to win a World Cup match when they beat Mexico 3-1, a landmark moment that helped challenge perceptions of African football on the world stage. They ultimately failed to qualify to the next round after a loss to Poland and a draw against defending champions Germany. In that same year, Tunisia reached the final four of the AFCON again, but ultimately fell to Ghana in the semi-finals. However, this success was followed by a brutal decline, as Tunisia failed to qualify to 6 AFCON editions between 1978 and 1994, and failed to qualify to the World Cup during that entire period. They hosted the AFCON again in 1994, but finished bottom of their group, a disappointment that led to major changes in personnel over the next few years. The FTF decided that the team needed a manager with experience in African football, and thus Henryk Kasperczak, former manager of the Cote D'Ivoire national team, was chosen to lead the team. Under his leadership, results improved significantly, as Tunisia managed to qualify to the 1996 AFCON, their first qualification in 14 years, where they reached their first final in 31 years but ultimately lost to hosts South Africa. This achievement was widely celebrated in the country, as Tunisians didn't expect their national team to improve so quickly after a series of disappointments. Tunisia finally regained their place as one of Africa's top nations, qualifying to every single AFCON edition ever since and currently hold the record of consecutive AFCON appearances (17). 1998 marked Tunisia's return to the World Cup after 2 decades of absence, where they lost to England and Colombia and finished bottom of their group, leading to the sack of Kasperczak. Tunisia kept consistent results over the next few years, reaching the quarters of the 1998 AFCON and the semis of the 2000 AFCON and qualifying to their 2nd and 3rd consecutive World Cups in 2002 and 2006, and culminating in the country's greatest achievement in 2004. Led by players such as Ali Boumnijel, Radhi Jaïdi, Karim Haggui, Hatem Trabelsi and Ziad Jaziri, Tunisia defeated Morocco 2-1 in the final to secure the country's first and only continental title under the leadership of Roger Lemerre. Lemerre became a hero of Tunisian football and was widely celebrated in the country. This achievement, along with the strong results of Tunisian clubs in continental competitions, led Tunisia to be considered one of the favourites for the 2006 and 2008 AFCON titles, however they fell short both times, leading to the end of the Lemerre era. It's during this period where Tunisia cemented themselves as that respected African side who consistently challenged the top continental powers despite lacking international stars and elite talent. This period also coincided with a golden era for Tunisian club football, with clubs such as Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Étoile Sportive du Sahel and Club Africain regularly competing for continental honors and supplying the backbone of the national team. After the sack of Lemerre, Tunisia struggled for a few years, failing to qualify to the World Cup in 2010 and 2014, and suffering shocking group stage exits in the 2010 and 2013 AFCONs. This marked a period of instability with frequent managerial changes, including a comeback of fan favorite Kasperczak after nearly 2 decades. Tunisia finally tasted success again after qualifying to the 2018 World Cup and finishing 4th in the 2019 AFCON, with a generation led by their modern stars such as Youssef Msakni, Wahbi Khazri or Ellyes Skhiri. At the 2022 World Cup, Tunisia achieved another historic result by defeating defending world champions France 1-0, becoming the first Arab and African nation to beat Les Bleus at a World Cup, though the result was ultimately not enough to secure qualification to the knockout stage. However, continental performances were disappointing, with a loss to Burkina Faso in the 2021 AFCON quarters, a shock group stage exit in the 2023 AFCON, and a round of 16 exit in the latest edition, after an uninspired performance against 10-men Mali. Pressure mounted on the federation to overhaul the national team setup. Sami Trabelsi was dismissed shortly before the 2026 World Cup and replaced by former Ivory Coast manager Sabri Lamouchi. However, his appointment proved divisive among supporters due to his limited experience at top international level and his complicated history with the Tunisia national team, having initially opted to represent Tunisia before later pursuing an international career with France during his playing days. With little time before the tournament, Lamouchi introduced several young players in an attempt to rejuvenate an aging squad, calling up a number of promising talents based abroad who likely would not have received an opportunity under the previous regime. Early results have been mixed, leaving uncertainty regarding Tunisia's prospects at the upcoming World Cup. The team has, however, shown flashes of brilliance during Lamouchi's brief tenure, giving fans a glimmer of hope. Fixtures Tunisia vs Sweden, 15 June, Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, 2:00 GMT Tunisia vs Japan, 21 June, Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, 4:00 GMT Tunisia vs the Netherlands, 26 June, Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, 23:00 GMT Official 26-Man Squad Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen (CS Sfaxien), Sabri Ben Hassan (Etoile du Sahel), Mouhib Chamakh (Club Africain) Defenders: Ali Abdi (OGC Nice), Montassar Talbi (FC Lorient), Omar Rekik (NK Maribor), Adem Arous (Kasımpaşa S.K.), Dylan Bronn (Servette FC), Mortadha Ben Ouannes (Kasımpaşa S.K.), Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday), Moutaz Neffati (IFK Norrköping), Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Espérance de Tunis), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir) Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ismael Gharbi (Augsburg), Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City), Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud (Lugano) Forwards: Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic FC), Elias Achouri (F.C. Copenhagen), Elias Saad (Hannover 96), Khalil Ayari (Paris Saint-Germain), Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala), Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps), Firas Chaouat (Club Africain) Predicted Lineup I can't predict for certain the lineup Lamouchi will use, as he used 2 different formations (4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1) in his 4 friendly matches so far and rotated the squad in every match, so there's no consistent XI. But a possible lineup would be: 4-2-3-1 Chamakh Valery - Talbi - Rekik - Abdi Khedira - Skhiri Ben Slimane - Hannibal - Tounekti/Gharbi Mastouri Lamouchi's tactics emphasize rapid transitions to hit teams on the counter. Tunisia are expected to defend in a compact mid-block and rely heavily on the pace of Achouri, Saad and Tounekti during transitions. Creativity often comes from Hannibal and Gharbi drifting between the lines, while Skhiri provides defensive stability in midfield. Lamouchi still hasn't decided who'll be the first choice keeper, but given Chamakh played the last 3 friendlies, signs point towards him being the preferred choice. Similarly, Chaouat, Mastouri and youngster Elloumi fought for that starting spot up front during Tunisia's World Cup preparations, with neither of them cementing himself as Tunisia's leader in attack. In defence, Talbi is the only guaranteed starter, but given their vast experience with the national team, Valery and Abdi will most likely be the starting full-backs. Key Players Ellyes Skhiri (31 years old, 83 caps, 4 goals): Tunisia's captain and the heart of the midfield, Skhiri has been ever-present in the Tunisian team for years and has consistently been one of the team's top performers. Skhiri may not provide goals, fancy passes and skill moves or silky dribbling, but he offers something every team needs: a calm, composed presence in midfield. Skhiri has been very consistent at club level as well, being an undisputed starter for Montpellier between 2016 and 2019, and then establishing himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga at Köln. His performances there earned him a move to his current team Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023, where he failed to reach the level he showed in North Rhine-Westphalia, despite consistent playtime. Still, Skhiri provides a vast wealth of experience that's mandatory in a youthful Tunisia squad, and no Tunisian can deny that the team's midfield would collapse without his presence. Montassar Talbi (28 years old, 64 caps, 4 goals): The leader of Tunisia's defense began playing youth football in France, but due to his family moving back to Tunisia during his childhood, he started his professional career at Tunisian giants Espérance de Tunis after coming through their academy. His performances there impressed foreign clubs, and at just 20 years old, he moved to Çaykur Rizespor in the Turkish Süper Lig, where he stayed 3 seasons. Following a brief passage in Italy through Benevento and a season in Russia, he moved to Lorient in 2022, immediately establishing himself as one of the team's key players, being the only player in Ligue 1 to play every single league match in 2022-2023. Following Lorient's relegation in 2025, Talbi was linked with various French top clubs, but eventually stayed and led Lorient to bounce back to Ligue 1. Talbi is still the heart of the French club's defence, always being one of their top performers and only missing games due to injuries and suspensions. Talbi has been one of Tunisia's most consistent players for years, a very calm, reliable center back. He's always been someone who rises up when the team needs him the most, and all Tunisians hope it will be the case in the world cup as well. Hannibal (23 years old, 45 caps, 1 goal): Hannibal, who was born in the suburbs of Paris, has been highly-rated since his childhood. Monaco spent €1 million for him when he was just a 15-year-old who didn't even make his professional debut, and soon after he was wanted by European top clubs such as PSG or Barcelona. But it was Manchester United who signed the 16-year-old Hannibal, who still didn't play a single minute of professional football, for about €10 million in 2019. Hannibal quickly rose through the ranks at the Red Devils, until he made his professional debut in 2021, at just 18, against Wolverhampton. But despite the high hopes people had, Hannibal failed to break into the Manchester United squad, only playing a few games for the senior side, and didn't really impress on loan at Birmingham City and Sevilla. He eventually joined Burnley in 2024, where, despite his significant aggressiveness and tendency to get booked, he still shows glimpses of the talent that made Manchester United sign him. Hannibal, despite playing for France at youth level and being highly-rated, opted to play for Tunisia in 2021, around the same time he made his Manchester United debut. Despite lack of consistent playtime at club level, Hannibal has been ever-present in Tunisia's squad since he made his debut, although he only established himself as a consistent starter fairly recently. Hannibal provides creativity that other Tunisian midfielders lack, and his technical prowess has proved vital for the Eagles of Carthage. My expectations and review of the team: The past few years have been hard for the Tunisian national team, with a lot of managerial changes, disappointing results and a decline in squad quality. Tunisia, for the first time in years, show up to the World Cup with a young, inexperienced squad, devoid of many of the figures that shaped the national team over the past decade. The team does possess good quality in some areas of the pitch, with a solid defence, and a mix of youth and experience in a midfield that combines tenacity, work rate and creativity. However the team still falls short in the goalkeeping department, with the 3 keepers called up playing in the domestic league and none of them being very convincing. The Eagles of Carthage also lack good options up front, with their options being 2 strikers who are very slow and not good enough for this level (Mastouri and Chaouat) and a young, rising star who's talented but still very raw (Elloumi), which could prove fatal given the teams they face in their group are stronger than them and won't give them many chances to score. I believe Tunisia's opening game against Sweden will make or break their World Cup. Sweden, while being a decent side, are still very beatable, and a win against them will be a giant leap towards qualifying to the knockouts (even as a 3rd placed team) for Tunisia. A win in their opening match could also give Tunisia a boost of confidence that might help them pull an upset against Japan and the Netherlands. After all, Tunisia has shown in the past (especially in AFCON and the previous World Cup) that they can upset stronger sides. However, failing to beat Sweden will pretty much guarantee a 4th place finish for Tunisia, which unfortunately seems to be the most likely outcome. I expect a draw with Sweden, a narrow loss to Japan, and another loss to the Netherlands, but Tunisia have always been an unpredictable team full of surprises (both positive and negative). Progression to the knockout stage would require an upset or two, but the Eagles of Carthage have built a reputation for defying expectations on football's biggest stage.   submitted by   /u/jiraiya--an [link]   [comments]