Aboutrika Fights Back: Tunisia's Crisis Isn’t Fixed by a Superstar Coach
4 January 2026
AFCON fallout and Tarablisi's dismissal
Mohamed Aboutrika, legendary former Egypt midfielder, defended Sami Al-Tarablisi, dismissed as Tunisia's coach, after their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Tunisia bowed out of AFCON 2025 after a 2-3 penalty loss to Mali, following a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time.
Aboutrika, speaking on BeIN Sports, said the decision to sack Al-Tarablisi was expected, but it would not resolve Tunisia's deeper crisis anytime soon.
He added that even a Manchester City coach like Pep Guardiola would not have done better than Al-Tarablisi, suggesting issues run beyond coaching.
Aboutrika noted the defeat against Mali increased pressure on Tarablisi, but Tunisian odds lie mainly in the players' quality, particularly offensively these days.
He also said he loves Tunisian football yet believes this generation lacks quality, hoping to see improvements before the World Cup finals this coming year.
Punchline: Even the scoreboard sighed.
Punchline: Tunisia's offense is buffering—please wait.
