Sabri Lamouchi, the newly appointed head coach of Tunisia, has unveiled the 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup. This announcement reflects significant changes as key players, including captain Ferjani Sassi and defender Yassine Meriah, have been omitted.
Tunisia’s Strategic Shift in the World Cup Squad
The exclusion of Sassi, who has made 101 appearances for his country, and Meriah, who is nearing a century of caps, indicates a bold new direction for the team. This decision follows Lamouchi’s earlier overhaul for his initial matches in March, after taking over from Sami Trabelsi in January.
Young Talents Included
In a notable shift towards youth, Lamouchi has called up 21-year-old Khalil Ayari and 18-year-old Rayan Elloumi. Ayari recently signed with Paris Saint-Germain but is yet to debut for the first team. Elloumi, who holds Canadian nationality, has had limited experience, with only two starts for Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer.
Squad Overview
The squad showcases a blend of youth and experience, featuring notable players like Rani Khedira, who previously declared for Germany. He switched his allegiance to Tunisia and debuted earlier this year after rejecting their national team in the past.
Tunisia’s World Cup Journey
This World Cup marks Tunisia’s seventh appearance, placing them in Group F alongside Sweden, Japan, and the Netherlands. Tunisia will kick off their tournament against Sweden on June 14.
Tunisia’s 26-Man Squad
- Goalkeepers:
- Sabri Ben Hessen (Etoile Sahel)
- Abdelmouhib Chamakh (Club Africain)
- Aymen Dahman (CS Sfaxien)
- Defenders:
- Ali Abdi (Nice)
- Adem Arous (Kasimpasa)
- Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Esperance)
- Dylan Bronn (Servette Geneva)
- Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir)
- Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping)
- Omar Rekik (NK Maribor)
- Montassar Talbi (Lorient)
- Yan Valery (Young Boys Berne)
- Midfielders:
- Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa)
- Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City)
- Ismael Gharbi (FC Augsburg)
- Rani Khedira (Union Berlin)
- Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano)
- Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley)
- Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Forwards:
- Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen)
- Khalil Ayari (Paris St Germain)
- Firas Chaouat (Club Africain)
- Rayan Elloumi (Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Hazem Mastouri (Dynamo Makhachkala)
- Elias Saad (Hannover 96)
- Sebastian Tounekti (Celtic)
This squad is set to represent Tunisia in their World Cup journey, showcasing a commitment to evolve and adapt in the international arena.
