Tunisia at the FIFA World Cup

Tunisia at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina.

Tunisia's first World Cup was the 1978 competition held in Argentina. They became the first African team to win a World Cup game, defeating Mexico 3–1 in Rosario.[23] A 1–0 defeat to 1974 bronze-medalists Poland followed. Although The Eagles Of Carthage then held reigning champions West Germany to a 0–0 draw, they failed to advance. Tunisia failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup again until twenty years later.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Poland	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	5	Advance to second round
2	West Germany	3	1	2	0	6	0	+6	4
3	Tunisia	3	1	1	1	3	2	+1	3
4	Mexico	3	0	0	3	2	12	−10	0

Adel Sellimi's team were beaten 2–0 by England,[24][25] and 1–0 by Colombia[26] to eliminate them at the group stage. Their only point was in a 1–1 draw with Romania.[27]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Romania	3	2	1	0	4	2	+2	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	England	3	2	0	1	5	2	+3	6
3	Colombia	3	1	0	2	1	3	−2	3
4	Tunisia	3	0	1	2	1	4	−3	1

Tunisia reached their second successive FIFA World Cup (and third overall), which was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. They started with a 2–0 loss against Russia, but a Raouf Bouzaiene free-kick gave them a 1–1 draw against Belgium in their second match. Their final group game resulted in a 2–0 defeat to co-hosts Japan, meaning they were knocked out in the group stages yet again.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Japan (H)	3	2	1	0	5	2	+3	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	Belgium	3	1	2	0	6	5	+1	5
3	Russia	3	1	0	2	4	4	0	3
4	Tunisia	3	0	1	2	1	5	−4	1

All times local (UTC+9)

Tunisia vs Ukraine match during 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Tunisia drew their opening game against Saudi Arabia 2–2, but lost their second match to Spain 3–1 and lost their last group match to Ukraine 1–0, ending their 2006 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Spain	3	3	0	0	8	1	+7	9	Advance to knockout stage
2	Ukraine	3	2	0	1	5	4	+1	6
3	Tunisia	3	0	1	2	3	6	−3	1
4	Saudi Arabia	3	0	1	2	2	7	−5	1

All times local (CEST/UTC+2)

Tunisia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The two teams had met in two matches, including one game at the 1998 FIFA World Cup group stage, an England 2–0 victory.[28]

England scored in the 11th minute when Mouez Hassen stopped a John Stones' header from a corner from the left, but could not save a Harry Kane follow-up from close range. Hassen was substituted four minutes later for Farouk Ben Mustapha due to an injury earlier in the game, after he had a collision with Jesse Lingard. Lingard then mishit a volley from Ashley Young's cross to the far post.[29] After 10 minutes, Ferjani Sassi equalised from the penalty spot after Kyle Walker was penalised for an elbow on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef.[30] Kane had an appeal for a penalty waved away within five minutes of the restart as he was seemingly impeded by a pair of Tunisia players at a corner.[31] In the additional time, Harry Maguire flicked a Kieran Trippier corner from the right into the path of Kane, who headed it inside the goal after being left free at the back post.[29][32]

England scored more than once for the first time in 10 World Cup matches, since a 2–2 draw against Sweden in 2006. Kane became the first England player to score a brace in a World Cup match since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990.[30]

18 June 2018 (2018-06-18)

21:00 MSK (UTC+3)

Tunisia	1–2	England
Sassi 35' (pen.)	Report	Kane 11', 90+1'

Volgograd Arena, Volgograd

Attendance: 41,064[33]

Referee: Wilmar Roldán (Colombia)

Tunisia[34]

England[34]

GK 22 Mouez Hassen  16' RB 11 Dylan Bronn CB 2 Syam Ben Youssef CB 4 Yassine Meriah LB 12 Ali Maâloul CM 13 Ferjani Sassi CM 17 Ellyes Skhiri CM 9 Anice Badri RF 8 Fakhreddine Ben Youssef CF 10 Wahbi Khazri (c)  85' LF 23 Naïm Sliti  74' Substitutions: GK 1 Farouk Ben Mustapha  16' MF 14 Mohamed Amine Ben Amor  74' FW 19 Saber Khalifa  85' Manager: Nabil Maâloul

GK 1 Jordan Pickford CB 2 Kyle Walker  33' CB 5 John Stones CB 6 Harry Maguire DM 8 Jordan Henderson CM 20 Dele Alli  80' CM 7 Jesse Lingard  90+3' RM 12 Kieran Trippier LM 18 Ashley Young CF 10 Raheem Sterling  68' CF 9 Harry Kane (c) Substitutions: FW 19 Marcus Rashford  68' MF 21 Ruben Loftus-Cheek  80' MF 4 Eric Dier  90+3' Manager: Gareth Southgate

Belgium vs Tunisia

The two teams had faced each other in three matches, including one game at the 2002 FIFA World Cup group stage, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[28]

Just 6 minutes into the game, Syam Ben Youssef's late challenge on Eden Hazard was deemed, with the use of VAR, to have been just inside the area and he stepped up to score the penalty into the bottom-left corner. Ten minutes later, Dries Mertens won possession just inside the Tunisia half before driving forward and passing the ball to Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku then shot a low strike across Farouk Ben Mustapha into the bottom-right corner. Wahbi Khazri's free-kick from the left was met by Dylan Bronn, who flashed a header past Thibaut Courtois. Thomas Meunier found Lukaku inside the area, which he clipped over the onrushing Mustapha. Toby Alderweireld's long pass from defence was taken on the chest by Hazard, who then rounded Mustapha to stroke into an empty net. Michy Batshuayi met Youri Tielemans' cross at the back post with a controlled half-volley to score Belgium's 5th. Khazri scored deep into stoppage time after a swivel in the box.[36][37]

Lukaku became the first player since Diego Maradona to score back-to-back braces in consecutive world cup games.[38] Hazard's penalty was Belgium's second quickest goal in a World Cup match (5:59), behind only Léopold Anoul's goal against England in 1954, in the fifth minute.[39] For Tunisia, it has registered as their worst defeat ever in their World Cup history.

23 June 2018 (2018-06-23)

15:00 MSK (UTC+3)

Belgium	5–2	Tunisia
E. Hazard 6' (pen.), 51' Lukaku 16', 45+3' Batshuayi 90'	Report	Bronn 18' Khazri 90+3'

Otkritie Arena, Moscow

Attendance: 44,190[40]

Referee: Jair Marrufo (United States)

Belgium[41]

Tunisia[41]