We don't have much on our hands as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is almost here, which runs from January 13 to February 11.
Here's KickGH comprehensive analytical fisheye lens solely dedicated and wiggled to the teams in Group E and their top stars who'll be heading into the AFCON IN Ivory Coast. .
Today's lens is on Tunisia who are colloquially known as the Carthage Eagles.
The Carthage Eagles of Tunisia is one of the most competitive African national teams in international football, having won one African Cup of Nations, as hosts in 2004, making it to twenty (1962, 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021) Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
Drawn in group E with Mali, Namibia and South Africa.
Coach: Jalel Kadri
The 52-year-old journeyman tactician who started his coaching career in 2001 with Tunisian Ligue 2 side AS Djerba has handled a myriad of clubs in Tunisia and the Middle East and was Tunisia’s assistant coach at the previous Cup of Nations finals.
Despite reaching the quarterfinal, his predecessor Mondher Kebaier was fired and Kadri stepped into the hot seat, immediately securing World Cup qualification for Tunisia.
He took them to the World Cup in Qatar where they beat France, but still did not make it out of the group phase, after which his offer to resign was not accepted by the Tunisian federation who insisted he stay in the post.
Key player: Ellyes Joris Skhiri. Age: 28. Position: Defensive Midfielder.
Skhiri set a Bundesliga record for the most distance covered by a player in a season. His strength lies in his defensive resilience and strong work ethic.
Skhiri was born and raised in France to Tunisian father and French mother. He is a youth product of Montpellier HSC.
He made his Montpellier debut as a fullback and moved into the heart of the defence before shifting into a holding midfielder role at FC Köln.
Skhiri made his debut for the Tunisia Olympic team in a friendly against the Morocco U23 squad. He, however, made his senior debut for the Tunisia national football team in a friendly 1–0 win over Iran on 23 March 2018 just before the World Cup in Russia.
Fifa world ranking December 2023: 28
How they qualified: Top placed team in group J, ahead of Equatorial Guinea, Botswana and Libya.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Mouez Hassen (Club Africain, Tunisia), Aymen Dahmen (Al Hazem, Saudi Arabia), Bechir Ben Said (US Monastir, Tunisia).
Defenders: Hamza Jelassi (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia), Yassine Meriah (Esperance, Tunisia), Alaa Ghram (Sfaxien, Tunisia), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly, Egypt), Yan Valery (Angers, France), Ali Abdi (Caen, France), Montassar Talbi (Lorient, France), Wajdi Kechrida (Atromitos, Greece), Oussama Haddadi (Greuther Furth, Germany).
Midfielders: Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Anis Ben Slimane (Sheffield United, England), Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Aissa Laidouni (Union Berlin, Germany), Houssem Tka (Esperance, Tunisia), Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano, Switzerland), Hamza Rafia (Leece, Italy).
Forwards: Youssef Msakni (Al Arabi, Qatar), Haythem Jouini (Stade Tunisien, Tunisia), Taha Yassine Khenissi (Kuwait SC, Kuwait), Sayfallah Ltaief (Winterthur, Switzerland), Bassem Srarfi (Club Africain, Tunisia), Naim Sliti (Al Ahli, Qatar), Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek, Egypt).
By: Pascal Amoah
Follow me on Twitter: @NiiAmoah
