Tunisian national team star Hannibal Mejbri launched a scathing attack on Tunisian football, declaring it “10 years behind” following the Carthage Eagles’ elimination from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in the round of 16.
Tunisia lost 3-2 on penalties to Mali after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time. Coach Sami Trabelsi faced heavy criticism in the match, just six months before the start of the 2026 World Cup.
After the match, Mejbri expressed his disappointment and criticized the Tunisian football administration, saying, “I don’t want people to hate me for what I’m about to say, but I don’t understand why we haven’t talked about this until now. Tunisia is 10 years behind in football, and we can’t continue like this.”
He added, “We need to sit down and really question this situation.” “We have to train or relearn everything, yes, everything,” he added.
“The country has fallen behind, and Tunisian football has fallen behind compared to other countries we see today, like Morocco. Twenty-two years ago, we hosted the Africa Cup of Nations, and nothing remains of that.”
He concluded, “We are disappointed with this elimination. We could have done better because we have many positive qualities.”
