Tunisia World Cup profile: Guide to record, manager, squad list, path to final, team news, latest odds and star man
After missing out on finals since 2006, Tunisia return to the World Cup - and are searching for a first win in 40 years
GROUP G outsiders Tunisia are participating in their first World Cup since 2006.
The North Africans have never made it past the group stages of the tournament and last won a game at the finals way back in 1978.
Here's all you need to know...
In a nutshell: North African nation back in the World Cup Finals after an absence of 12 years.
Flag: A red background with a star and crescent in the middle as a nod to the Ottoman Empire. Stylish.
Population: 11.4 million
Nickname: The Eagles of Carthage, although the Eagles of Carnage would be better, even if it sounds like a death metal band.
Manager: Previously the coach of Kuwait and a man capped 74 times by Tunisia, Nabil Maaloul.
Captain: It’s their experienced goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi.
Star Man: All of Tunisia’s goal hopes will rest with Youssef Msakni.
The Al-Duhail striker has 14 goals in his 51 caps. Look out too for midfielder Wahbi Khazri.
Road to Russia
QUALIFYING RESULTS
13/11/2015 Mauritania A 2-1
17/11/2015 Mauritania H 2-1
09/10/2016 Guinea H 2-0
11/11/2016 Libya A 1-0
01/09/2017 Congo DR H 2-1
05/09/2017 Congo DR A 2-2
07/10/2017 Guinea A 4-1
11/11/2017 Libya H 0-0
TOP SCORERS
3 Youssef Msakni
2 Wahbi Khazri
MOST APPEARANCES
8 Aymen Mathlouthi
8 Ali Maaloul
6 Ferjani Sassi
You may remember him from his time with Sunderland but he’s currently on loan at Rennes in France.
Rising Star: Twenty-two year-old Dylan Bronn.
The French-born Gent defender made his international debut against Morocco last year and could squeeze into the squad.
Most caps: Sadok Sassi (116).
All-time top scorer: Issam Jemaa (36).
Nice kit? Very tidy indeed. It’s all white with a little red here and there. Bet it’s a bugger to wash though.
Most offensive haircut? Mohamed Amine Ben Amor looks like he’s tried emulate Sergio Aguero c.2014 but got interrupted halfway through.
Any names we can laugh at like kids? Hey Oussama! Who’s Haddadi?
Rivals? Their next door neighbours and the country they share 1,000km of border with, Algeria.
National anthem: Humat al-Hima (or ‘Defenders of the Homeland’). It’s lyrics sound like something Bruce Springsteen might have written…
Sample lyric:
Let the heavens roar with thunder
Let thunderbolts rain with fire.
Men and youth of Tunisia,
Rise up for her might and glory.
National dish: Couscous. Just like their near neighbours Morocco. Well, if you can call 1,000 miles away ‘near’.
National drink: Try a wee boukha. It’s a fig brandy and it’s nicer than it sounds.
World Cup Finals Record: P12 W1 D4 L7 F8 A17
World Cup Win Ratio: 8.3%
Best World Cup performance: They’ve never been past the group stages.
FIFA World Ranking: 27
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Farouk Ben Mustapha (Al Shabab, Saudi Arabia), Moez Hassen (Chateauroux, France), Aymen Mathlouthi (Al Baten, Saudi Arabia)
Defenders: Rami Bedoui (Etoile du Sahel), Yohan Benalouane (Leicester City, England), Syam Ben Youssef (Kasimpasa, Turkey), Dylan Bronn (Gent, Belgium), Oussama Haddadi (Dijon, France), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly, Egypt), Yassine Meriah (CS Sfaxien), Hamdi Nagguez (Zamalek, Egypt)
Midfielders: Anice Badri (Esperance), Mohamed Amine Ben Amor (Al Ahli Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Ghaylene Chaalali (Esperance), Ahmed Khalil (Club Africain), Saifeddine Khaoui (Troyes, France), Ferjani Sassi (Al Nasr, Saudi Arabia), Ellyes Skhiri (Montpellier, France), Naim Sliti (Dijon, France), Bassem Srarfi (Nice, France)
Forwards: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (Al Ittifaq, Saudi Arabia), Saber Khalifa (Club Africain), Wahbi Khazri (Rennes, France)
Path to final: Tunisia will expect to brush aside Panama and will then aim to humiliate either England and Belgium to make it through in second place.
That would see them face the winner of an even-looking Group H, which consists of Colombia, Poland, Senegal and Japan, in the second round.
Germany would then be the likely opponents in the quarter-final before a semi against giants Argentina or Spain.