Tunisia at the FIFA World Cup
Tunisia has participated six times in the FIFA World Cup, the biggest men's football event in the world, in 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022. Tunisia has never been able to advance past the group stage on any of these occasions; they have played eighteen games, winning three, with five draws and ten defeats. The selection played its first qualifying match for a World Cup on 30 October 1960 against Morocco at the Stade d'Honneur, Casablanca.
Wahbi Khazri is the Tunisian player who has scored the most goals in the competition with three: two in 2018 and one in the 2022 edition. Riadh Bouazizi and Kaies Ghodhbane are the two Tunisian players with the most matches played (eight games each in 1998, 2002 and 2006).
Summary[edit]
FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
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Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Ref. | |
1930 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | [1] | ||||||||||||||
1934 | [2] | ||||||||||||||||
1938 | [3] | ||||||||||||||||
1950 | [4] | ||||||||||||||||
1954 | [5] | ||||||||||||||||
1958 | [6] | ||||||||||||||||
1962 | Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | [7] | |||||||||
1966 | Withdrew | Withdrew | [8] | ||||||||||||||
1970 | Did not qualify | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | [9] | |||||||||
1974 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | [10] | ||||||||||
1978 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | Squad | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 9 | [11] | |
1982 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | [12] | |||||||||
1986 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 9 | [13] | ||||||||||
1990 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 11 | [14] | ||||||||||
1994 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 2 | [15] | ||||||||||
1998 | Group stage | 26th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Squad | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | [16] | |
2002 | Group stage | 29th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Squad | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 5 | [17] | |
2006 | Group stage | 24th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | Squad | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 9 | [18] | |
2010 | Did not qualify | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 7 | [19] | |||||||||
2014 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 10 | [20] | ||||||||||
2018 | Group stage | 24th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 6 | [21] | |
2022 | Group stage | 21st | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Squad | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 | [22] | |
2026 | To be determined | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||||||||||
2030 | To be determined | ||||||||||||||||
2034 | |||||||||||||||||
Total | Group stage | 6/16 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 26 | — | 116 | 65 | 31 | 20 | 198 | 86 | — |
By match[edit]
By match | ||||||
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World Cup | Round | Opponent | Score | Result | Tunisia scorers | Man of the match |
1978 | Group 2 | Mexico | 3–1 | W | Kaabi, Ghommidh, Dhouieb | |
Poland | 0–1 | L | ||||
West Germany | 0–0 | D | ||||
1998 | Group G | England | 0–2 | L | ||
Colombia | 0–1 | L | ||||
Romania | 1–1 | D | Souayah | |||
2002 | Group H | Russia | 0–2 | L | ||
Belgium | 1–1 | D | Bouzaiene | Raouf Bouzaiene | ||
Japan | 0–2 | L | ||||
2006 | Group H | Saudi Arabia | 2–2 | D | Jaziri, Jaïdi | Ziad Jaziri |
Spain | 1–3 | L | Mnari | |||
Ukraine | 0–1 | L | ||||
2018 | Group G | England | 1–2 | L | Sassi | |
Belgium | 2–5 | L | Bronn, Khazri | |||
Panama | 2–1 | W | F. Ben Youssef, Khazri | Fakhreddine Ben Youssef | ||
2022 | Group D | Denmark | 0–0 | D | Aïssa Laïdouni | |
Australia | 0–1 | L | ||||
France | 1–0 | W | Khazri | Wahbi Khazri |
FIFA World Cup record[edit]
As of 2022, Tunisia have never advanced past the group stage of a World Cup. They have won three matches: against Mexico in 1978, Panama in 2018, and France in 2022.
1978 FIFA World Cup[edit]
Tunisia's first World Cup was the 1978 competition held in Argentina. They became the first African team to win a World Cup game, defeating Mexico 3–1 in Rosario.[23] A 1–0 defeat to 1974 bronze-medalists Poland followed. Although The Eagles Of Carthage then held reigning champions West Germany to a 0–0 draw, they failed to advance. Tunisia failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup again until twenty years later.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | Poland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 5 | Advance to second round |
2 | West Germany | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | +6 | 4 | |
3 | Tunisia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | |
4 | Mexico | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 |
Tunisia v Mexico[edit]
Tunisia | Mexico
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Poland v Tunisia[edit]
Poland | Tunisia
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West Germany v Tunisia[edit]
West Germany | Tunisia
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1998 FIFA World Cup[edit]
Adel Sellimi's team were beaten 2–0 by England,[24][25] and 1–0 by Colombia[26] to eliminate them at the group stage. Their only point was in a 1–1 draw with Romania.[27]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | Romania | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
2 | England | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | |
3 | Colombia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 3 | |
4 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 |
England vs Tunisia[edit]
England | Tunisia
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Assistant referees: |
Colombia vs Tunisia[edit]
Colombia | Tunisia
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Assistant referees: |
Romania vs Tunisia[edit]
Romania | Tunisia
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Assistant referees: |
2002 FIFA World Cup[edit]
Tunisia reached their second successive FIFA World Cup (and third overall), which was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. They started with a 2–0 loss against Russia, but a Raouf Bouzaiene free-kick gave them a 1–1 draw against Belgium in their second match. Their final group game resulted in a 2–0 defeat to co-hosts Japan, meaning they were knocked out in the group stages yet again.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | Japan (H) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
2 | Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 5 | |
3 | Russia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
4 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1 |
All times local (UTC+9)
Russia v Tunisia[edit]
Russia | Tunisia
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
Tunisia v Belgium[edit]
Tunisia | Belgium
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
Tunisia v Japan[edit]
Tunisia | Japan
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
2006 FIFA World Cup[edit]
Tunisia drew their opening game against Saudi Arabia 2–2, but lost their second match to Spain 3–1 and lost their last group match to Ukraine 1–0, ending their 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
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1 | Spain | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
2 | Ukraine | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | |
3 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1 | |
4 | Saudi Arabia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 1 |
All times local (CEST/UTC+2)
Tunisia vs Saudi Arabia[edit]
Tunisia | 2–2 | Saudi Arabia |
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Jaziri 23' Jaïdi 90+2' | Report | Al-Qahtani 57' Al-Jaber 84' |
Tunisia | Saudi Arabia
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
Spain vs Tunisia[edit]
Spain | Tunisia
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
Ukraine vs Tunisia[edit]
Ukraine | 1–0 | Tunisia |
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Shevchenko 70' (pen.) | Report |
Ukraine | Tunisia
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees: |
2018 FIFA World Cup[edit]
Tunisia vs England[edit]
The two teams had met in two matches, including one game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup group stage, an England 2–0 victory.[28]
England scored in the 11th minute when Mouez Hassen stopped a John Stones' header from a corner from the left, but could not save a Harry Kane follow-up from close range. Hassen was substituted four minutes later for Farouk Ben Mustapha due to an injury earlier in the game, after he had a collision with Jesse Lingard. Lingard then mishit a volley from Ashley Young's cross to the far post.[29] After 10 minutes, Ferjani Sassi equalised from the penalty spot after Kyle Walker was penalised for an elbow on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.[30] Kane had an appeal for a penalty waved away within five minutes of the restart as he was seemingly impeded by a pair of Tunisia players at a corner.[31] In the additional time, Harry Maguire flicked a Kieran Trippier corner from the right into the path of Kane, who headed it inside the goal after being left free at the back post.[29][32]
England scored more than once for the first time in 10 World Cup matches, since a 2–2 draw against Sweden in 2006. Kane became the first England player to score a brace in a World Cup match since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990.[30]
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[34] |
Belgium vs Tunisia[edit]
The two teams had faced each other in three matches, including one game at the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[28]
Just 6 minutes into the game, Syam Ben Youssef's late challenge on Eden Hazard was deemed, with the use of VAR, to have been just inside the area and he stepped up to score the penalty into the bottom-left corner. Ten minutes later, Dries Mertens won possession just inside the Tunisia half before driving forward and passing the ball to Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku then shot a low strike across Farouk Ben Mustapha into the bottom-right corner. Wahbi Khazri's free-kick from the left was met by Dylan Bronn, who flashed a header past Thibaut Courtois. Thomas Meunier found Lukaku inside the area, which he clipped over the onrushing Mustapha. Toby Alderweireld's long pass from defence was taken on the chest by Hazard, who then rounded Mustapha to stroke into an empty net. Michy Batshuayi met Youri Tielemans' cross at the back post with a controlled half-volley to score Belgium's 5th. Khazri scored deep into stoppage time after a swivel in the box.[36][37]
Lukaku became the first player since Diego Maradona to score back-to-back braces in consecutive world cup games.[38] Hazard's penalty was Belgium's second quickest goal in a World Cup match (5:59), behind only Léopold Anoul's goal against England in 1954, in the fifth minute.[39] For Tunisia, it has registered as their worst defeat ever in their World Cup history.
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[41] |
Panama vs Tunisia[edit]
The two teams had never met before.[43] Both teams had already been eliminated from the tournament before the match.
Panama took the lead in the 33rd minute, after a José Rodríguez shot from outside the penalty area took a deflection off Yassine Meriah and nestle in the back of the net. In the 51st minute, Naïm Sliti found Wahbi Khazri down the right and the latter's low cross was converted by the Fakhreddine Ben Youssef just six yards out. At the 66 minute mark, Khazri finished off a cross from the left by Oussama Haddadi from close range at the back post.[44][45]
Tunisia won a World Cup match after 40 years, since their 3–1 victory over Mexico in 1978. Panama became the first nation since Serbia & Montenegro and Togo in 2006 to lose each of their first three World Cup games. Panama's goal means this is the first World Cup tournament in which every side has scored at least two goals in the competition. Meriah's own goal was the 50th in World Cup history.[46]
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