The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has already claimed its first victim on the sidelines. Following Tunisia's elimination in the round of 16, the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) has decided to end its collaboration with national team coach Sami Trabelsi, according to several local media outlets.

The Eagles of Carthage were knocked out of the competition by Mali (1-1, 3-2 on penalties), despite having a near-total numerical advantage. Reduced to ten men, the Malians held out for almost 100 minutes before prevailing in the decisive shootout, a scenario that intensified criticism of Tunisia's tactical management.

In a brief statement, the FTF officially announced the decision:

"The Federation has decided to amicably terminate the contracts of the entire technical staff of the first national team."

At 57, Sami Trabelsi is thus paying for another continental disappointment, when the Federation already seemed unwilling to entrust him with the project leading to the 2026 World Cup, as revealed by journalist Romain Molina.

According to Tunisna TV, the former national team coach will not return to Tunisia with the rest of the delegation. He is expected to head to Doha, Qatar, instead. When questioned by the channel, the treasurer of the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF), Manoubi Troudi, indicated that a new coach would be appointed "within a week to ten days," specifying that the candidate could be Arab.

Internally, discussions are already well underway. According to insider Hedi Limem, sporting director Zied Jaziri would welcome the return of Nabil Maâloul, currently the coach of Qadsia SC. The former national team coach has already managed the national team twice, between 2013 and from 2017 to 2018.

However, other members of the Federation are reportedly advocating for the appointment of a foreign coach. This option is also supported by a segment of the public, which is calling for a complete overhaul of the national team's operations.

Beyond the mere sporting failure, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has once again highlighted persistent structural dysfunctions: a lack of equipment, recurring organizational problems, and disciplinary issues reported during the training camp. These are all problems that continue to weaken a Tunisian national team in search of stability and credibility.