The midfielder, born in Copenhagen of parents from Sousse, in the South Tunisian, responded to the call of the Carthage Eagles, the national selection.
MO12345LEMOND With AFP
He chose the Tunisian jersey rather than the tunic of his native Denmark: at 21, Anis Ben Slimane will start his first World Cup against the country where he grew up, and intends to prove himself, without fear or regret .
“It’s very weird. But to be honest I said to my friends, everyone around me that if we went to the World Cup, we would have Denmark” in the draw, he confides to AFP in the corridors of his Brondby club, in the suburbs of Copenhagen. The midfielder describes himself as a Danish supporter “every day, except that one”.
Born in the Danish capital of parents from Sousse, in southern Tunisia, the binational was debacked by the Tunisian Football Federation a little over two years ago. “I had played with those under 19 for Denmark, it went well and I was very happy then, all of a sudden, I received a phone call from the Tunisian national team “recalls the 1.88 m fellow. He has not yet made his professional debut. “It was surprising that they want me,” he said.
Placed in front of a “very difficult choice”, Anis Ben Slimane opts for the Carthage Eagles jersey. “I want to honor my Tunisian roots. The biggest dream of my parents is to see me play for the national team of Tunisia since I am little, he said. I want to make them proud.”
According to Adel Sellimi, former assistant coach of Tunisia, in office when the attacking midfielder was called for the first time in October 2020, explains this decision by “his big skills despite his young age”. “He also presents the asset to be able to play in several positions in the middle and also on the sides. And he is comfortable of the two feet”, notes the technician who salutes his “good reading of the game”.
“We are very disciplined”
For this World Cup in Qatar, Tunisia, 30
Tunisia has never reached the direct elimination phase and a qualification “would be rather nice,” he adds. Confident in the Tunisian collective, the young player, at the origin of the only goal of his selection against Brazil during a friendly defeat at the end of September (5-1), wants to believe it.
“We don’t have the big stars, but we are a very good group and we are very disciplined (…), very good to defend our goal”, he sums up. And France does not scare him. “We have the skills in our team and if we are in a good day and maybe France in a bad, you never know,” he smiles. “I do not see them as good as collective but more individually. And that can be something good for us,” says the midfielder.
According to him, the match against Denmark will be the most complicated. “Right now, Denmark is better than France (…) with a very very good group and a lot of good players”, judges this specialist in free kicks. “Personally, it’s going to be a harder match than France, but also because I have feelings towards Denmark.”
which does not prevent him from believing it. “I have never been afraid of a match and I will never be afraid. Whether it is Brazil, France, anyone, it will be really, really a great challenge and a great opportunity to Show on the international scene, “he argues.
For that, you have to speak only football. Mouth sewn on the choice of Qatar as a host country, the sites that cost the lives of many foreign workers – “a sad story, obviously” – nor the ban on homosexuality in the emirate. “I don’t want to mix politics and football,” he concludes.