Tunisia left out captain Ferjani Sassi and key defender Yassine Meriah as new coach Sabri Lamouchi made expected changes on Friday when he named his ​squad for next month’s World Cup.

Sassi, who has played 101 times for Tunisia, ‌and Meriah, five caps away from a century of appearances for the North Africans, were both dropped from the squad.

Lamouchi, who was appointed coach in January after Sami Trabelsi was dismissed following ​Tunisia’s exit from the Cup of Nations in the last 16, overhauled the ​squad for his first two matches in March.

At the time, Lamouchi, ⁠who has had spells at Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City, did not reveal whether ​he was using the friendlies against Haiti and Canada to look at alternative options or ​whether he was seeking to build a new-look side.

Friday’s squad announcement suggests a mix, as there were surprise call-ups for 21-year-old Khalil Ayari and teenager Rayan Elloumi.

Ayari has been signed by Paris Saint-Germain but has yet to make the first team squad, while Elloumi has made ​only two starts in Major League Soccer with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Canadian-born Elloumi, 18, played earlier this ‌year for ⁠the World Cup co-hosts in a friendly against Guatemala.

The Tunisia squad also includes 32-year-old midfielder Rani Khedira, whose brother Sami was a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014. Khedira had previously rejected overtures from Tunisia to play for them, but in March ​switched his footballing nationality ​and debuted for ⁠the North Africans.

Tunisia compete at their seventh World Cup and are in Group F with Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sabri ​Ben Hessen (Etoile Sahel), Abdelmouhib Chamakh (Club Africain), Aymen Dahman (CS Sfaxien)

Defenders: Ali Abdi (Nice), ​Adem Arous (Kasimpasa), ⁠Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida (Esperance), Dylan Bronn (Servette Geneva), Raed Chikhaoui (US Monastir), Moutaz Neffati (Norrkoping), Omar Rekik (NK Maribor), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yan Valery (Young Boys Berne)

Midfielders: Mortadha Ben Ouanes (Kasimpasa), Anis Ben Slimane (Norwich City), Ismael Gharbi (FC ⁠Augsburg), ​Rani Khedira (Union Berlin), Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Lugano), Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley), Ellyes ​Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Reuters

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Haiti named their World Cup squad on Friday, with ​captain Johny Placide and all-time top scorer Duckens ‌Nazon included as Les Grenadiers prepare for their first finals in 52 years.

French coach Sebastien Migne selected an experienced squad led by ​38-year-old goalkeeper Placide, who plays for Bastia, while Wolverhampton ​Wanderers midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is among the team’s ⁠most recognisable European-based players.

Nazon, who has 44 goals in ​76 appearances, was also selected after playing a key role ​in qualification, with the striker from Iranian club Esteghlal netting six times during the campaign.

The Caribbean side will play at the men’s World ​Cup for only the second time, and first since ​the 1974 tournament in West Germany, after topping their CONCACAF qualifying group.

They ‌had ⁠to play all of their home matches at neutral venues because of the country’s security crisis.

Haiti will play warm-up matches against New Zealand and Peru before opening their Group ​C campaign versus ​Scotland on ⁠June 13, followed by games with five-time champions Brazil and Morocco.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Johny Placide, Alexandre Pierre, ​Josue Duverger

Defenders: Carlens Arcus, Wilguens Paugain, Duke Lacroix, ​Martin ⁠Experience, JK Duverne, Ricardo Ade, Hannes Delcroix, Keeto Thermoncy

Midfielders: Leverton Pierre, Carl-Fred Sainte, Danley Jean-Jacques, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Woodensky Pierre, Simon ⁠Dominique

Forwards: ​Louicius Deedson, Ruben Providence, Josue Casimir, ​Derrick Etienne, Wilson Isidor, Duckens Nazon, Frantzdy Pierrot, Yassin Fortune, Lenny Joseph

-Reuters

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By Kunle Solaja.

The decision of highly-rated Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi to officially align his international future with the Morocco national football team may appear, at first glance, like another successful nationality switch in modern football.

But in Morocco, the development is being viewed as something much bigger. It is a symbol of the country’s growing influence in global football and further proof that the North African kingdom has evolved into one of the sport’s most attractive destinations for elite dual-national talents.

The official confirmation by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) that Bouaddi had completed his change of sporting nationality is being celebrated not merely as an administrative victory, but as another strategic success in Morocco’s long-term football revolution.

At just 17, Bouaddi is already regarded as one of Europe’s most technically gifted young midfielders, drawing attention for his composure, intelligence and versatility at French club Lille OSC. His choice to represent Morocco instead of France reflects a shifting balance in international football, where players with multiple national options are increasingly attracted by sporting ambition, structure and opportunity rather than traditional power alone.

For Morocco, Bouaddi’s decision reinforces a growing reputation built over the past decade through deliberate investment, institutional planning and football diplomacy.

Morocco’s rise has not happened overnight.

Driven by the strategic vision of King Mohammed VI, the country has transformed its football ecosystem into one of the most sophisticated in Africa and the Arab world.

Modern infrastructure, elite training centres, improved youth development pathways and consistent participation at major tournaments have combined to make Morocco an increasingly attractive proposition for players born abroad but eligible through family heritage.

At the centre of this transformation is the Mohammed VI Football Academy, widely regarded as one of Africa’s leading talent factories. The academy has become a symbol of Morocco’s determination to compete with Europe’s best in talent production and player development.

The impact is already visible.

Morocco stunned the football world at the 2022 FIFA World Cup by becoming the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. That historic run elevated the Atlas Lions from continental contenders to global football influencers.

It also changed perceptions among dual-national players.

Where previous generations may have viewed European national teams as the ultimate destination, many young talents now see Morocco as a realistic platform for elite competition, international visibility and major tournament success.

Bouaddi’s case highlights Morocco’s growing ability to compete directly with major European football powers for talent.

France, in particular, has historically benefited from a large pool of players of Moroccan heritage. Yet Morocco has steadily become more effective in convincing such players that their future can be equally bright in Rabat as in Paris.

The country’s recent recruitment successes reflect a carefully coordinated strategy involving federation officials, former players, coaches and diaspora engagement.

Morocco’s message to young talents is increasingly clear: the national team is no longer an emotional alternative, but a serious sporting project capable of competing at the highest level.

The country’s qualification consistency, improved FIFA rankings, strong youth teams and hosting ambitions for future global tournaments have only strengthened that argument.

Morocco is also preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal — another milestone expected to further enhance the nation’s football stature.

For Morocco, Bouaddi’s switch represents more than a single recruitment victory.

It reflects the emergence of a modern football nation that now possesses the credibility, organisation and ambition to rival traditional heavyweights in shaping the future of international football talent.

In a sport increasingly defined by competition beyond the pitch, Morocco appears to have mastered a new game, building a football identity strong enough to attract the world’s best before they fully arrive.

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