By Amakye Ansah
# 23. Tunisia 🇹🇳
Nickname: Eagles of Carthage
Appearances: 20
Last AFCON Appearance: 2019
Coach: Mondher Kebaier (Tunisia)
Best AFCON Results: Winners (2004)
Skipper: Wahbi Khazri
Player to watch: Wahbi Khazri
Region: UNAF
CAF Rankings: 4
FIFA Rankings: 30
Population: 11,708,370
Tunisia is the most country to appear at AFCON in consecutive appearances, fifteen (15) times (1994–2021). What an incredible achievement from Eagles of Carthage. Their only triumph was in 2004 when they hosted and defeated Morocco (1-0) in the grand finale.
Tunisia was unbeaten in the AFCON qualifiers (W5, D1), topped their Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers group. Tunisia is in incredible form heading to Cameroon.
Eagles of Carthage eliminated Ghana in the 2019 AFCON and was excellent in the knockout stages. Tunisia lost 1-0 to Senegal in the semi-finals and therefore finished fourth after losing 1-0 to Nigeria in the bronze medal match.
Mondher Kebaier, former Etoile du Sahel and Esperance tactician will love the team to put up the same wonderful performance they exhibited in the 2019 AFCON.
Star-men Wabi Kazri, Ali Maaloul, Ferjani Sassi, Ali Ben Romdhane, Seifeddine Jaziri and Naim Sliti are all included in the 28-man list. Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri is also included. He was splendid in the FIFA Arab Cup and he is expected to add something to the team.
It is 18 good years since they won the trophy, can Wahbi Kazri do Francileudo Santos? Will Mondher Kebaier do Roger Lemerre?
Tunisia will play Mali, Mauritania and Gambia in Group F. They are expected to qualify for the knockout stages.
The core of the team
Farouk Ben Mustapha played all six games for the Eagles of Carthage in the World Cup qualifiers. The Esperance goalkeeper is Tunisia’s number 1.
Montassar Talbi and the skilful Ali Maaloul will lead Tunisia at the back
Issa Bilel Laidouni and Ferjani Sassi are anticipated to provide the guile and work rate for the midfield.
Wabi Kazri, Naim Sliti and Hannibal Mejbri will spearhead the attack for Tunisia.
Probable line-up
4-3-3
Ben Mustapha (GK)
Ali Maaloul, Dylan Bronn, Montassar Talbi,
Mohamed Drager (DF)
Laidouni, Sassi, Mejbri (MF)
Kazri, Sliti, Jaziri (ATT)
Expectations: Quater-Finals
