Resilient Tunisia looking to upset formidable group opponents at Qatar 2022

Tunisia will enter the 2022 World Cup with one clear target: to make the knockout stages of the competition after trying six times.

The previous five participations — 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018 — have produced a very disappointing return of two wins from 15 matches, especially when you consider that Tunisia became the first Arab or African nation to ever win a World Cup match when they beat Mexico 3-1 in Argentina 44 years ago.

In many ways, however, they have already exceeded expectations by simply qualifying to Qatar 2022.

Going into the African World Cup qualifiers, not many people fancied the chances of the Tunisian team, at least in comparison to neighbors Morocco, Algeria and Egypt.

But the Carthage Eagles confounded the doubters, securing qualification with minimum fuss and a squad made up of players who ply their trade in European and Arab leagues.

Now they have been placed in Group D with defending champions France, Denmark and Australia. And while Tunisia will have their work cut out to reach the round of 16, their opponents will not be taking them lightly either.

“The Tunisian team deserves respect, and just getting here means they have something to offer,” said French coach Didier Deschamps, who no doubt will have done this homework on the dangerous trio of Youssef Msakni, Wahbi Khazri and Naim Sliti.

Two factors that should prompt Tunisia, led by coach Jalel Kadri, to enter this World Cup with more confidence than previous editions are that they possess more quality players and a clearer playing style this time around.

Kadri has relied more than his predecessors on players from Middle East leagues instead of only going down the tried and trusted road of looking toward European ones and having