World Cup Factfile: TUNISIA

Honours:

- World Cup appearances: 3 (1978, 1998, 2002)

- World Cup best: 1st rd

- African Nations Cup winners: 1 (2004)

Odds: 200/1

Coach: Roger Lemerre

Sacked after France’s dismal performance at the 2002 finals when Les Bleus exited in the first round without scoring a goal, Lemerre opted for the sunshine of north Africa as he set about rebuilding his career.

A stern disciplinarian, his methods paid off almost immediately as he led the Carthage Eagles to victory in the 2004 African Nations Cup on home soil, making Lemerre the only coach to have won two different continental titles.

Key player: Francileudo Dos Santos

A clinical finisher, Dos Santos has had a phenomenal impact since being hurried into the national team after taking Tunisian nationality in December 2003.

The 27-year-old’s goals helped Tunisia lift the 2004 African Nations Cup and he heads into the finals with 18 goals from 28 games.

Four of those goals came in one qualifying game alone against Malawi last year, equalling the African record set by Cameroon legend Roger Milla.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ali Boumnijel (Club Africain Tunis), Hamdi Kasraoui (Esperance Sportive Tunis), Adel Nefzi (US Monastir)

Defenders: Karim Hagui (Strasbourg/FRA), Rahdi Jaidi (Bolton/ENG), Hatem Trabelsi (Ajax/NED), David Jammali (Bourdeaux/FRA), Alaeddine Yahia (St Etienne/FRA), Karim Saidi (Lecce/ITA), Anis Ayari (Samsun Sport/TUR), Mehdi Meriah (Etoile du Sahel)

Midfielders: Riadh Bouazizi (Kayserispor/TUR), Adel Chedli (Nuremberg/GER), Kais Ghodhbane (Samsunspor/TUR), Sofiene Melliti (Gazi Antepspor/TUR), Jawher Mnari (Nuremberg/GER), Hamed Namouchi (Rangers/SCO), Mehdi Nafti (Birmingham/ENG)

Strikers: Silva Dos Santos (Toulouse/FRA), Ziad Jaziri (Troyes/FRA), Karim Sediri (Rosenberg/NOR), Yassine Chikhaoui (Etoile du Sahel), Issam Jomaa (Lens/FRA) — AFP