Clockwatch, Courage, and the Mali Test: Mejbri Aims to Lead Tunisia Past AFCON Hurdles
2 January 2026
Mejbri Faces Mali Clash with Focus and Clock-Story Memories
Hannibal Mejbri, the Tunisian star, says his team will enter the Mali match on Saturday in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 with high spirits and sharp focus.
He stressed in Friday press remarks: "We know that if we lose, we will be eliminated from the tournament, so the real challenge starts now... after the 1-1 draw with Tanzania, we know we didn't perform at our best, and we must show a better performance against Mali."
The Burnley midfielder added: "Football is a team game, and every player must provide the necessary contributions... personally, I will stay focused because helping the team as much as possible is very important."
Regarding past memories against Mali, Mejbri joked: "We hope the referee does not end the game at the 85th minute," referencing the famous AFCON 2021 incident when the Zambian referee ended Tunisia vs Mali early due to a clock fault, sparking wide debate.
He closed: "We thank the Tunisian people for their support and we ask everyone to remain united with us... the task is difficult, but with focus and unity we can go far in this tournament."
Punchline 1: If football were math, our chances would be constants; the clock would be the wild card.
Punchline 2: Here’s hoping the clock isn’t the boss tonight—our chant will countdown louder than any stopwatch.
