Tunisia has thus far been the 2026 World Cup’s whipping boy.
First, the Eagles of Carthage were hammered 5-1 by Sweden—a result that saw it sack its manager and appoint Hervé Renard—before then being beaten 4-0 by Japan and eliminated from the tournament with little resistance.
Things are not set to get any easier. The Netherlands presents the toughest challenge yet, having drawn 2-2 with Japan before thumping Sweden 5-1 in its most recent outing. Its attacking talent—including Brian Brobbey, Cody Gakpo, and Crysencio Summerville—has been one of the standout features of the tournament, even if it has looked occasionally vulnerable defensively.
Head-to-head, Tunisia has never beaten the Netherlands, although two of their three meetings have ended in draws. However, Tunisia’s performances so far—one goal scored, nine conceded, three shots on target, and a measly 0.17 expected goals (xG) across two matches—suggest little optimism heading into its final group game.
