Wahbi Khazri’s World Cup swansong could inspire Tunisia to new World Cup heights

On the shores of the French tourist island of Corsica, a young Wahbi Khazri would run, build sandcastles and dream big.

The Montpellier star’s leadership, excellence and ambition were perhaps inspired by the island’s most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte.

But Khazri’s triumphs and conquests would come on the football pitch.

From the age of four, he showed his athletic skills, a gifted child playing with his older brothers.

His talent, dribbling and formidable shots were, as a youth, honed on the turf of Ajaccio, where he spent eight formative years.

He quickly developed into a skilled and fast midfielder, with great endurance and an ability to make and find space in attack.

Khazri’s professional journey started with French side Bastia in 2009, and in 2014 he moved to Bordeaux for two seasons before a spell at then English Premier League club Sunderland.

A loan spell at Rennes was followed by four highly successful years at Saint-Etienne, where he scored an unforgettable goal against Metz.

Collecting the ball from the Saint-Etienne penalty area he spotted the opposition goalkeeper — Algeria’s Alexandre Oukidja — off his line and proceeded to score a sensational goal from inside his own half.

Throughout his career, the love for the country of his parents never left him. Having represented the French under-21 team in 2012, he opted to play for Tunisia a year later.

His debut came on Jan. 7, 2013, against Ethiopia, and he was called up by national team coach Sami Trabelsi for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

He has since gone on to become the team’s leader and talisman.

Qatar 2022 will be his second World Cup as captain of the Carthage Eagles after Russia 2018.

He heads into the tournament having