The North Africans are hoping to progress past the primary spherical of the Qatar World Cup for the primary time of their historical past.
World Cup appearances: 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018
Titles: 0
Greatest end: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018)
World Cup file: W2 D4 L9
Targets: 13
Largest win: 3-1 v Mexico (1978)
Participant to observe: Youssef Msakni
Rating: 30
Group stage fixtures: Denmark (November 22), Australia (November 26), France (November 30)
If there have been a complete rating of the squad power of the 32 collaborating nations within the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there's a good probability that many analysts would place Tunisia close to the very backside.
The North Africans don't boast family names that your common soccer fan could be aware of. As an alternative, Tunisia depends on intangibles to compensate for a supposed lack of expertise on paper.
“Grinta” (Italian for grit) has turn into the nationwide workforce’s ethos and it completely encapsulates the underdog spirit the Tunisians embody on the pitch.
Traditionally, they've employed these intangibles to set off trailblazing accomplishments on the World Cup. As an illustration, Tunisia made historical past in 1978 by defeating Mexico 3-1 within the first match of the group levels, changing into the primary African or Arab nation to win a match at a World Cup.
Sadly, subsequent appearances on the match didn't dwell as much as these requirements that Tarek Dhiab’s golden era set in Argentina. The truth is, of the 5 African representatives in Qatar, Tunisia are the one ones which have by no means managed to get previous the group levels.
Supporters of the Carthage Eagles, who will likely be quite a few in Qatar, perceive that they're, as soon as once more, not favoured to qualify for the knockout levels. However, coach Jalel Kadri’s males won't curb their ambition and they are going to be a troublesome problem for Denmark, Austria and France in Group D.
Courting again to 2019, Tunisia has conceded about half a aim per sport over a span of greater than 50 matches. The workforce’s strengths are of their disciplined midfield. Aïssa Laïdouni and Ellyes Skhiri anchor the center of the pitch in holding roles and are greater than able to cleanly distributing possession to extra succesful attacking gamers.
Wahbi Khazri, Naim Sliti and Youssef Msakni compose a wonderful attacking entrance line with boatloads of expertise.
Msakni, specifically, will really feel that Qatar 2022 may very well be the crowning second of his profession.
After an illustrious membership profession again house with Esperance de Tunis, he bucked all expectations by refusing a transfer to Europe in 2013, and preferring to as an alternative make the Qatar Stars League his house.
Within the decade since his switch, the Tunisian maestro has gone on to turn into the most effective gamers to ever grace the pitch in Qatar. Previous to the World Cup in 2018, Msakni suffered a debilitating knee harm that dominated him out of the competitors. 4 years later, his profession trajectory has come full circle and “the ferret”, as he's identified in Tunisia, appears able to put a bow on his profession by lastly serving to his nation to the knockout levels.
But, if Tunisia’s midfield is a transparent power, there are clear query marks relating to the workforce’s goalkeeping. Aymen Dahmen, the 25-year-old CS Sfaxien netminder, has completed an OK job all through this calendar yr, however Tunisian goalkeepers have been infamous for producing embarrassing errors in current main tournaments, and Dahmen’s inexperience on this stage could unnerve supporters.
Tunisia additionally lack an out-and-out goal man. Khazri has deputised as a striker during the last three years, however the former Sunderland winger doesn't have the dimensions to problem centre-halves within the air.
The ultimate and most problematic uncertainty with regard to the Tunisian nationwide workforce is coach Kadri, who will likely be one in all two coaches in Qatar which have by no means performed a kick of senior soccer within the first division in any nation (Canada’s John Herdman is the opposite).
Kadri is seen as a restricted supervisor that can accommodate the skilled gamers in his squad, take instruction from higher-ups within the federation, and in the end fail to implement the sort of sport plans Tunisia would want to upset the European heavyweights of their group.
Post a Comment