Tunisia national under-20 football team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Tunisia women's national under-20 football team.
Tunisia U-20
Nickname(s)نسور قرطاج
(Eagles of Carthage)
AssociationTunisian Football Federation
Other affiliationUAFA (Arab World)
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationUNAF (North Africa)
Head coachAbdelhay Ben Soltane
Home stadiumHammadi Agrebi Stadium
FIFA codeTUN
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
First international
  0–6 Mexico 
(Tunis, Tunisia; 27 June 1977)
Biggest win
  5–0 Libya 
(Tunis, Tunisia; 20 July 2002)
Biggest defeat
  0–6 Mexico 
(Tunis, Tunisia; 27 June 1977)
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Appearances3 (first in 1977)
Best resultRound of 16 (2023)
U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances9 (first in 1979)
Best resultRunners-up (1985)
Arab Cup U-20
Appearances4 (first in 2012)
Best resultChampions (2012)

The Tunisia national under-20 football team has represented Tunisia in men's international association football for players aged 20 or under. The team is administered by the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF), which governs football in Tunisia. On a continental level, the team competes under the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which governs associate football in Africa, and is also affiliated with FIFA for global competitions. Additionally, the team is a member of the Union of North African Football (UNAF) and the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA). The team is colloquially known as Eagles of Carthage by fans and the media, with the bald eagle serving as its symbol. Their home kit is primarily white and their away kit is red, which is a reference to the national flag of the country. Abdelhay Ben Soltane is the current head coach.

The Tunisian national team qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup three times: the inaugural edition in 1977 as hosts, 1985 and 2023, reaching the round of 16 in the last participation. The team qualified nine times for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, finishing second in 1985 after losing the final to Nigeria. The team did not qualify for the tournament for 32 years, returning to the 2021 and 2023 editions, achieving fourth place in both. The team participated four times in the Arab Cup U-20. He won the title in the first participation in 2012 after defeating Saudi Arabia in the final. He also reached the 2020 final but lost to Senegal, who were invited to the tournament. Tunisia has participated in the Mediterranean Games with the under-20 category six times, winning the gold medal in 2001 as host after defeating Italy in the final, and the bronze medal in 2013. The Tunisian national team is the most successful team in UNAF. He participated in the UNAF U-20 Tournament sixteen times, winning the title nine times as a record in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. He also achieved second place three times and third place twice.

Current staff

The current staff was appointed on 16 April 2025.[1][2]

Position Name
Head Coach Abdelhay Ben Soltane
Assistant coach Aymen Mathlouthi
Goalkeeping Coach Hassen Bejaoui
Fitness Coach Anis Kazouz
Performance Analyst Walid Ben Tamansourt

Honours

Runners-up: 1985
Champions: 2012
Runners-up: 2020
Champions: 2001
Third Place: 2013
Champions: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Runners-up: 2008, 2010, 2015
Third Place: 2006, 2024

Competitive records

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place

  • Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

FIFA U-20 World Cup

FIFA U-20 World Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1977 Group stage 14th 3 1 0 2 1 7
1979 Did not qualify
1981
1983
1985 Group stage 16th 3 0 0 3 2 6
1987 Did not qualify
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[3]
2023 Round of 16 15th 4 1 0 3 4 6
2025 Did not qualify
Total Round of 16 3/24 10 2 0 8 7 19

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations

U-20 Africa Cup of Nations record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1979 Second round – 4 2 1 1 4 2
1981 Second round – 4 2 0 2 5 6
1983 First round – 2 0 1 1 0 4
1985 Runner-up 2nd 8 1 5 2 5 5
1987 Quarter-finals – 4 1 3 0 3 2
1989 First round – 2 0 2 0 2 2
1991 Withdrew after qualification
1993 Did not qualify
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021 Fourth Place 4th 6 1 3 2 4 6
2023 Fourth Place 4th 6 1 2 3 5 12
2025 Group stage 3 1 0 2 4 5
Total Runners-up 9/22 39 9 17 13 32 44

Arab Cup U-20

Arab Cup U-20 record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
2011 Did not enter
2012 Champions 1st 5 4 1 0 14 9
2014 Cancelled
2020 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 1 1 10 3
2021 Fourth Place 4th 5 4 0 1 6 3
2022 Quarter-finals 5th 3 2 0 1 9 1
Total 1 Title 4/5 19 14 2 3 39 16

Mediterranean Games

Mediterranean Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1951 – 1987 See Tunisia national football team
1991 Group stage 7th 2 1 0 1 1 5
1993 Group stage 7th 3 1 0 2 2 5
1997 Did not enter
2001 Champions 1st 4 3 0 1 7 1
2005 Quarter-finals 7th 3 0 3 0 4 4
2009 Group stage 7th 4 2 1 1 6 5
2013 Third Place 3rd 5 3 1 1 10 5
Since 2018 See Tunisia national under-18 football team
Total 1 Title 6/12 21 10 5 6 30 25

UNAF U-20 Tournament

UNAF U-20 Tournament record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
2005 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 4 1
2006 Third Place 3rd 4 1 3 0 ? ?
2007 Champions 1st 3 2 0 1 4 3
2008 Runner-up 2nd 4 2 2 0 5 3
2009 Champions 1st 3 2 0 1 4 1
2010 Runner-up 2nd 3 0 2 1 4 5
2011 Did not participate
2012 Champions 1st 2 1 1 0 3 2
2012 Fifth Place 5th 2 1 0 1 2 4
2014 Fourth Place 4th 2 0 0 2 1 3
2015 Runner-up 2nd 2 1 0 1 3 2
2016 Cancelled
2019 Champions 1st 4 2 1 1 5 4
2020 Champions 1st 3 1 2 0 2 1
2021 Champions 1st 4 3 1 0 11 4
2022 Champions 1st 3 1 2 0 5 4
2023 Champions 1st 4 4 0 0 15 6
2024 Third Place 3rd 4 2 0 2 5 5
Total 9 Titles 16/17 50 26 14 10 – –

African Games

African Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA
1965–1987 See Tunisia national football team
1991–2015 See Tunisia national under-23 football team
2019 Did not qualify
2023 Withdrew after qualification
2027 To be determined
Total – 0/2 – – – – – –

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up to the squad for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.[4]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Club
1 1GK Thomas Zouaghi (2005-04-11)11 April 2005 (aged 20) Hellas Verona
16 1GK Moatez Hanzouli CA Bizertin
22 1GK Rayen Besbes (2005-08-04)4 August 2005 (aged 19) US Monastir
2 2DF Rayan Jerbi (2006-04-29)29 April 2006 (aged 18) Nice
3 2DF Rayane Rhimi (2005-12-31)31 December 2005 (aged 19) CA Bizertin
4 2DF Alaeddine Derbali (2005-05-19)19 May 2005 (aged 19) Espérance de Tunis
5 2DF Mohamed Allela (2005-02-16)16 February 2005 (aged 20) CA Bizertin
15 2DF Mohamed Bouzaabia (2005-03-09)9 March 2005 (aged 20) Étoile du Sahel
20 2DF Wassim Abrougi (2007-03-25)25 March 2007 (aged 18) Lyon
25 2DF Anis Doubal (2006-10-29)29 October 2006 (aged 18) Marseille
26 2DF Rayan Boukadida (2007-01-23)23 January 2007 (aged 18) Saint-Étienne
6 3MF Hamza Abidi Club Africain
8 3MF Amenallah Meherzi (2005-10-24)24 October 2005 (aged 19) Al Bidda
12 3MF Elyes Dhaoui (2008-04-15)15 April 2008 (aged 17) Olympique Béja
13 3MF Wajdi Issaoui (2005-01-08)8 January 2005 (aged 20) Espérance de Tunis
14 3MF Moncef Gharbi (2006-05-04)4 May 2006 (aged 18) Stade Tunisien
17 3MF Rayane Anane (2006-08-15)15 August 2006 (aged 18) Étoile du Sahel
23 3MF Anes Kordi (2006-03-28)28 March 2006 (aged 19) Hannover 96
24 3MF Wael Debbiche (2005-06-09)9 June 2005 (aged 19) Annecy
7 4FW Koussay Maacha (2007-05-21)21 May 2007 (aged 17) Espérance de Tunis
9 4FW Omar Ben Ali (2005-04-22)22 April 2005 (aged 20) CS Sfaxien
10 4FW Khalil Ayari (2005-02-02)2 February 2005 (aged 20) Stade Tunisien
11 4FW Youssef Becha (2005-04-13)13 April 2005 (aged 20) CS Sfaxien
18 4FW Nacim Dendani (2006-04-30)30 April 2006 (aged 18) Monaco
19 4FW Zayon Chtaï-Telamio (2006-10-14)14 October 2006 (aged 18) Paris Saint-Germain
21 4FW Farès Bousnina (2006-02-13)13 February 2006 (aged 19) Nice

See also

References

  1. ^ "Abdelhay Ben Soltane nouveau sélectionneur des U20" [Abdelhay Ben Soltane new U20 coach]. Mosaique FM (in French). Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  2. ^ "[EN] : Ben Soltane aux commandes des Aigles de Carthage U20" [NT: Ben Soltane at the helm of the U20 Eagles of Carthage]. Tunisie-Foot (in French). Retrieved 2025-04-16.
  3. ^ "Update on FIFA Women's World Cup and men's youth competitions". FIFA. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Notre élite U20 est prête pour la CAN U20 – Égypte 2025". Tunisian Football Federation (Facebook) (in French). 17 April 2025.
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