Tunisia’s AFCON 2025 plans suffer a major disruption as midfield cornerstone Aïssa Laïdouni officially exits Arab Cup contention and faces serious doubt ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The 28-year-old sustained a hamstring tear during a Qatar Stars League match for Al Wakrah.
The injury struck during a high-speed sprint and forced him to leave the pitch immediately.
Medical scans later confirmed significant muscle damage. Al Wakrah’s medical panel opts for caution and avoids setting a return date.
Recovery will demand weeks of rehabilitation and controlled conditioning.
The timing stings. Tunisia enters the final stretch of national team preparation with the Arab Cup starting on November 25, less than a month before AFCON begins on December 21.
Laïdouni will miss both events unless recovery accelerates beyond expectation.
Even then, a late comeback risks leaving him short of match fitness, a scenario coaches fear before tournaments with elite intensity.
Born in France, Laïdouni holds Tunisian, Algerian, and French nationality.
He pledged allegiance to Tunisia early and quickly became one of the team’s most trusted midfield leaders.
He delivers high ball-winning volume, tactical structure, long-range coverage, transition control, and psychological stability in high pressure moments.
His club journey through Ferencváros, Union Berlin, and Al Wakrah sharpened his profile as a central connector between defence and attack.
National coach Sami Trabelsi now faces a tactical puzzle. He structures Tunisia’s 4-3-3 around Laïdouni’s engine, duel dominance, spatial awareness, and rhythm control.
His absence forces alternative thinking, internal promotions, and possible midfield recalibration.
Trabelsi must balance cohesion and invention without losing the competitive personality of his core XI.
Tunisia enters a period of medical uncertainty and strategic improvisation. Fans wait for updates.
Coaches rebuild scenarios. Tunisia prepares for AFCON with hope hanging on recovery timelines no one can currently guarantee.
