The Choice of Sparring Partners is Not Coincidental
The Tunisian national team will start its series of matches tonight with the easiest confrontation against Mauritania, before stepping up against Jordan. The goal is to be in top form in a week's time, when they face Brazil.
The Match Against Mauritania
The Tunisian team will play its first of three matches tonight at the Olympique de Radès stadium, facing Mauritania. Initially scheduled for 6:30 PM, the kick-off time has been moved to 5:45 PM. The match against Jordan, scheduled for the day after tomorrow, has also been moved to 5:45 PM.
The Ultimate Test Against Brazil
The friendly match against Brazil, scheduled to take place in Lille in a week's time, will be the culmination of this training session. This will be a test of the team's abilities, pushing the players to their limits and providing an insight into their true capabilities in preparation for the Arab FIFA Cup and the African Cup of Nations (CAN).
Regaining Momentum
To put things into perspective, this gathering is the first phase of preparation for the Tunisian national team ahead of the Arab FIFA Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in Qatar from December 1 to 18, and the CAN 2025, which will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
A Strategic Choice
The match against Mauritania tonight is the first friendly match of the scheduled program. This choice is not coincidental. In all preseason preparations or major tournaments, the team starts with the easiest opponent and gradually increases the level of difficulty. Therefore, it was necessary to select an affordable sparring partner, hence the choice of Mauritania. Additionally, the confrontations against Mauritania have been favorable to Tunisia, with 6 wins and 4 draws.
A Warning Sign
However, Tunisia's level has progressively regressed in the last three confrontations against Mauritania. On November 30, 2021, in the Arab Cup, Tunisia won 5-1 against Mauritania. On January 16, 2022, in the CAN, Tunisia also won 4-0 against Mauritania. And on January 6, 2024, in a friendly match, the result was a goalless draw.
The Moral of the Story
African and Arab nations are evolving and have made significant progress in recent years, including teams that are supposed to be within Tunisia's reach. Mauritania is a prime example. It's time for Tunisia to regain its position and take its rightful place, both at the Arab and African levels. Tonight, the Tunisian players are expected to dominate their opponent.
Latest Developments
The latest arrivals to the team's camp were Ismaël Gharbi and Hannibal Mejbri, who joined yesterday. However, it is expected that Ali Maâloul will make his grand return to the national team tonight, with a significant amount of playing time.
