Louey Ben Farhat acts and Karlsruher SC.
“I was shocked”, confessed the Tunisia coach: young promise doesn’t want to go to the World Cup — or is it his father who won’t let him?
The selector of Tunisia was absolutely shocked at the most recent press conference, less than a month before the start of the long-awaited 2026 World Cup, against Sweden.
Sabri Lamouchi took advantage of the power of words to criticize Louey Ben Farhatafter the 19-year-old Karlsruher striker reportedly declined a World Cup call-up despite making his debut for the Tunisian national team in March’s friendlies. But the most unusual thing is that, apparently, it was not the teenager who refused the proposal. In fact, he wouldn’t even have spoken directly to the coach. It was, yes, the athlete’s father who refused to go to the World Championship.
According to , Lamouchi considered the player’s attitude disrespectful and closed the case. The coach explained that Ben Farhat’s father called him on Friday morning to inform him that the call-up to the national team had come too early and that his son would not accept the call-up. Lamouchi says he then tried to contact the attacker directly and called his father again, but neither answered the phone.
“I received a call from Louey Ben Farhat’s father this morning. He told me it was too early to select him and declined. I was shocked. I called Louey, he didn’t answer. I called his father again and he didn’t answer either. This is a lack of respect”, said the Tunisian coach.
Ben Farhat was part of Tunisia’s list of 26 players for the World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, from June 11th to July 19th. Tunisia will face Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands in Group F.
Born in Waiblingen, Germany, Ben Farhat has scored six goals in 19 games in the German second division this season.
