Trabelsi departs Tunisia after last-16 exit at Afcon

A day after their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) last-16 defeat to Mali by penalties, Tunisia fired coach Sami Trabelsi.

In Casablanca, the 2004 champions won the game by going ahead in the 88th minute, but the match’s winner conceded a penalty in the sixth minute of extra time and gave up a lead in extra time. The team had an extra player for more than 90 minutes.

In a statement posted on social media, the Tunisian Football Federation stated that it had “decided to terminate the contractual relationship with the technical staff of the national team by mutual consent.”

After almost two years in charge in 2013 following Tunisia’s elimination from the Afcon group stage, Trabelsi, 57, resigned as coach of the Carthage Eagles for a second time last February.

The North Africans defeated Uganda 3-1 in their opening game before falling to Nigeria 3-3 and drawing 1-1 with Tanzania to finish second in Group C in Morocco.