Published on 6/25/2026
The disappointing appearance of the Tunisian national team in the 2026 World Cup after two harsh defeats left “bitterness” that reached the point of ridicule among the fans, who demanded the dismissal of officials and the implementation of reforms in the sports sector.
Although they still have to face the Netherlands on Thursday, the “Eagles of Carthage” have mathematically lost hope of qualifying for the round of 32 in the 2026 World Cup, after the lesson was harsh for them against Sweden 1-5 and then Japan 0-4.
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The Tunisian national team conceded nine goals in two consecutive losses that were like a “nightmare”, as the French-Tunisian coach Sabri Lamouchi was dismissed and the Frenchman Hervé Renard was appointed, whom the Tunisian Union turned to to correct the course, but to no avail in the second match.
The team’s captain, Elias Skhiri, apologized to the Tunisian people and described the two matches as “shameful.” He said, “The truth is that we do not have the level required to play a tournament of this size.”
The huge fans’ dreams of qualifying for the second round and achieving an unprecedented achievement faded, as people remembered the 1978 World Cup, when Tunisia became the first African and Arab country to win a match in the World Cup.
Public anger demands accountability
In Tunisia, where football represents an outlet for a wide segment of the public, the massive loss and poor return against Sweden was a shock, and activists on Facebook expressed their unwillingness to wake up early again (the time difference) to watch the Japan match.
The manager of a café in the capital told Agence France-Presse, “I set the alarm, but at the last minute I changed my mind and went back to sleep.”
Only two matches were enough to unleash a torrent of criticism from observers and specialists in Tunisia and abroad to express their extreme anger and demand the accountability and resignation of officials in the Football Association.
The Arabic-language newspaper Al-Shorouk wrote, “A popular demand to dismantle the football mafia and hold it accountable first.”
Because Tunisian football, according to the French-language newspaper “Le Temps,” “has been criticized for many years for favoritism and internal conflicts between clubs, to the point that the interest of the clubs has overshadowed the interest of the national team.”
Lack of preparedness and chaos in management
Among the most prominent negative points of the Tunisian national team, which raised a lot of ink, are the lack of mental and physical readiness of the players, the chaotic management of the team, and the invitation of players who do not have the level to participate in the World Cup matches.
Lotan added that there were “personal considerations that led to the invitation of players who had no place in the national team.”
As for the “Intifada” website, which specializes in investigations and surveys, it wrote in an article, “Building the list is not based only on technical standards, but is also subject to calculations aimed at satisfying the clubs, by ensuring that each major team is represented by at least one player within the national team.”
The report explained, “These accounts are not only related to the sporting aspect, but also involve financial and political considerations. FIFA grants clubs financial compensation for every player who is released to participate with his team during the tournament.”
Will officials within the Tunisian Football Federation resign? According to local media, the intention is to carry out an internal reorganization and distribute roles and tasks differently to ensure the absorption of the crisis.
Over the past few days, many activists on Facebook have re-published a video clip containing a statement by Tunisian player Hannibal Mejbri, in which he said after being eliminated from the African Cup of Nations in Morocco in January, “We dream too much and do not work enough.”
As for the well-known university professor and writer Olfa Youssef, she wrote, “A team that looks like Tunisia today.”
However, like every previous participation, other Tunisians chose to ridicule in an attempt to digest the disastrous performance, at a time when the teams of Morocco and Egypt provide moments of joy for their countries.
Another commented, “The only way for Tunisia to score in the next match against the Netherlands is for the field to be completely sloped so that the ball falls into the Dutch net.”
