Goalkeepers
1-Ali Boumnijel (Bastia) Born: 13.4.66
16-Hassen Bejaoui (CA Bizerte) Born 14.2.75.
Reserve
goalkeeper at the African Nations Cup finals behind captain Chokri El Ouaer, who
has since had to retire.
22-Ahmed Jaouachi (Monastir) Born: 13.7.75
Called into
the squad for the first time in March for the Norway friendly. Likely to be
third in the pecking order.
Defenders
2-Khaled Badra (Esperance) Born
8.4.73
Burly defender who played at France '98 and has just
returned to the Tunisian champions after a six-month spell with Genoa in Serie B
in Italy. Reportedly aroused interest from AC Milan during his spell in Italy
but returned home in December instead.
12-Raouf Bouzaine (Genoa) Born 16.8.70
Utility player
who was at Laval in France before returning to Tunisia to play for Club Africain
for several seasons, before signing for the Italian second division side Genoa
as part of a group of Tunisian internationals who had all previously worked
under coach Francesco Scoglio.
23-Clayton (Esperance) Born: 21.3.74
Brazilian-born
defender who played at France '98 and has fought his way back into the squad.
Accurate crosser who likes to get forward to support the midfield and forwards.
Had a spell at Bastia but suffered injuries before moving back to Tunisia.
15-Radhi Jaidi (Esperance) Born 30.8.75
Imposing centre
back who has a reputation among the fiercest in African football. Played in two
losing African Champions League finals and the last two Nations Cup finals. Will
be the key component at the heart of Tunisia's defence at the World Cup finals.
4-Mohamed Mkacher (Etoile Sahel) Born: 25.5.75
One of
three players dropped from the squad for the friendly in Spain last December
after an incident while he was playing for his club side. Likely to be on the
bench.
14-Hamdi Marzouki (Club Africain) Born 23.1.77
Captain
of the side that reached the African Cup Winners's Cup semi-final last year.
Made his debut in a friendly against Switzerland in November 2000 and was
included in the squad for
the Nations Cup.
19-Emir Mkademi (Etoile Sahel) Born 20.8.78
Exciting
prospect who first came to prominence with Etoile Sahel during the CAF Cup
campaign, where the team have dominated the annual African club competition.
Made his debut against Mauritania at the start of the 2002 World Cup qualifiers.
17-Tarek Thabet (Esperance) Born 16.8.71
Has won all
three of the African club competitions with Esperance and played in the 1996
Nations Cup final, which Tunisia lost to South Africa. Also participated at the
1998 World Cup finals in France and has recently been recalled to the national
squad.
6-Hatem Trabelsi (Ajax Amsterdam) Born 25.1.77
Bought by
Dutch giants Ajax from CS Sfaxien last year and was man of the match on his
debut against Glasgow Celtic. Played against England at the '98 World Cup finals
in France and was one of the few highlights for coach Henri Michel at the recent
Nations Cup in Mali.
Midfielders
3-Zoubeir Baya (Besiktas) Born
15.5.71
Joined Besiktas in the summer after four years at Freiburg
in the German Bundesliga. Acknowledged as Tunisia's best player, having competed
at the last World Cup finals in France and four successive Nations Cup
tournaments. Also played in the under-23 team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
18-Slim Ben Achour (Martigues) Born 8.9.81
Made his
debut in January against Cameroon on the eve of the Nations Cup finals in Mali.
Expected to feature prominently in this year's World Cup campaign, having
emerged as a breath of fresh air in an ageing squad. Born in Paris and started
his professional career at Paris St Germain.
13-Riadh Bouazizi (Bursaspor) Born 8.4.73
Successful
product of the Olympic team that went to Atlanta in 1996 and later became the
backbone of the national side under Polish coach Henryk Kasperczak. Formerly
with Etoile Sahel, with whom he won the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1997.
8-Hassen Gabsi (Genoa) Born 23.3.74
Spent nine seasons
with Esperance, including winning the 1994 African Champions Cup title, before
his move last year to Italy. Busy midfielder, who missed the last World Cup
because of injury and has been plagued by ankle problems again in recent months.
10-Kais Ghodhbane (Etoile Sahel) Born 8.1.76
Has won
three African cups with his club, one in the Cup Winners' Cup and twice in the
CAF Cup. Also played at last four Nations Cup finals and at the World Cup finals
in France four years ago. Authoritative-looking player, who also has a
reputation for scoring key goals at club level.
21-Mourad Melki (Esperance) Born 9.5.75
Played for his
club in the last two African Champions League campaigns after joining from
Olympique Beja, but appearances for the national side have been few and far
between. A squad member at the last World Cup finals, although did not play in
any of the
three games against Colombia, England and Romania.
7-Imed Mhadhebi (Genoa) Born 22.3.76
Moved from Etoile
Sahel to Genoa last year and was Tunisia's leading striker at the Nations Cup,
but showed erratic form. Hails from Ben Arus in Tunisia, from where he moved to
Etoile Sahel.
Forwards
5-Ziad Jaziri (Etoile Sahel) Born
12.7.78
Helped his club reached the final of the CAF Cup last year
and also scored freely in the World Cup qualifiers. He and Ali Zitouni have been
the first choice front pairing over the last two years but both have struggled
with injury lately.
9-Riadh Jelassi (Club Africain) Born 7.7.71
Played one
match in the World Cup qualifiers after several years out of contention. Another
member of the 1998 World Cup finals squad who now looks likely for a recall to
the team. Won CAF Cup and African Cup Winners's Cup honours with previous club
Etoile Sahel.
11-Adel Sellimi (SC Freiburg) Born: 16.11.72 .
Feted by
the Tunisian fans, he was suspended towards the end of the World Cup qualifiers
after being sent off against the Ivory Coast. Dropped from the Nations Cup squad
in December after refusing to travel home for a friendly with Spain. Came to
prominence at the 1996 African Nations Cup before signing for French first
division club Nantes. Forced his way into the World Cup squad for France 98
after four goals in the qualifiers. Has spent four seasons in the Bundesliga
with Freiburg.
20-Ali Zitouni (Esperance) Born 11.1.81
Tunisia's top
scorer over the last two years, with many key goals in the World Cup qualifiers.
Injury has kept him out for several months, and will make his fight for a World
Cup berth difficult. A nominee for the 2000 African Young Player of the Year
award, which was won by Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon.