Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi has finally lifted the lid on his 28-man squad for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, and it’s clear he’s rolling into Morocco with a plan built on experience, equilibrium, and a dash of quiet ambition. The Carthage Eagles, navigating a potentially treacherous Group C alongside Uganda, Nigeria and Tanzania, appear determined to rediscover their bite on the continental stage.
The big headline? The long-awaited return of midfield generals Ellyes Skhiri and Hannibal Mejbri. Both missed the team’s latest outings, and their comeback adds instant steel, balance and bite to a midfield unit that had been crying out for direction. With their return, Tunisia’s engine room suddenly looks far more menacing.
Trabelsi hasn’t ripped up the script—far from it. November’s core remains intact, particularly between the sticks where Aymen Dahmen, Bechir Ben Saïd, Sabri Ben Hassen and Noureddine Farhati continue as a tried-and-tested unit. Ben Hassen’s recall, after missing the Arab Cup due to injury, gives the group a welcome sense of completeness.
The defensive setup mirrors that same philosophy of steady continuity with selective enhancement. The familiar sentinels, Yassine Meriah, Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Ali Maâloul and Ali Abdi, retain their places, while Adem Arous and Nader Ghandri re-emerge after sitting out the Qatar campaign. Ghandri, currently thriving with Akhmat Grozny, didn’t hide his delight: he is “ready to give 100% for Tunisia.”
In midfield, Trabelsi keeps the spine built around Ferjani Sassi, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Houssem Tka. With Skhiri and Hannibal stepping back in, the department suddenly transforms from merely functional to potentially formidable. Add Ismael Gharbi and Naim Sliti to the cocktail, and Tunisia’s creative pulse looks renewed.
Up front, Trabelsi’s approach seems to be: if it works, don’t overthink it. Elias Saad, Sébastien Tounekti and Firas Chaouat return as the dependable trio, supplementing a frontline reinforced by Elias Achouri, Hazem Mastouri and Seifeddine Jaziri, players known more for their industry and movement than flashy fireworks.
Conspicuously missing, however, are Amor Layouni and Nacim Dendani, both of whom were part of the Qatar adventure. Trabelsi didn’t mince words: his choices were based on “competitiveness and tactical balance,” stressing that younger talent will be phased in gradually to avoid rushing their development.
With the tournament practically knocking on the door, Tunisia now dive into their final preparations. The blueprint is unmistakable: a squad anchored by familiarity, energized by key returns, and sculpted with calculated restraint. Whether that formula sparks a deep AFCON run remains to be seen, but the Carthage Eagles are heading to Morocco with a quiet confidence, and a sense that something is building.
Tunisia’s Final AFCON 2025 Squad
Goalkeepers:
Aymen Dahmen (CS Sfaxien)
Bechir Ben Saïd (Espérance de Tunis)
Sabri Ben Hassen (Étoile du Sahel)
Noureddine Farhati (Stade Tunisien)
Defenders:
Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday)
Mohamed Ben Ali (Espérance de Tunis)
Dylan Bronn (Servette FC)
Montassar Talbi (FC Lorient)
Yassine Meriah (Espérance de Tunis)
Adem Arous (Kasimpasa)
Nader Ghandri (Akhmat Grozny)
Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa)
Ali Abdi (OGC Nice)
Ali Maaloul (CS Sfaxien)
Midfielders:
Ferjani Sassi (Al Gharafa)
Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Houssem Tka (Espérance de Tunis)
Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (FC Lugano)
Ismael Gharbi (Augsburg)
Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley FC)
Naim Sliti (Al Shamal)
Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane (Al Ahly)
Forwards:
Elias Saad (Augsburg)
Elias Achouri (FC Copenhagen)
Hazem Mastouri (Dinamo Makhachkala)
Sébastien Tounekti (Celtic)
Firas Chaouat (Club Africain)
Seifeddine Jaziri (Zamalek)
