Can Tunisia succeed in advancing from the World Cup group stage at last?

For the first time in their history, the North Africans want to advance from the opening round of the World Cup in Qatar.

The North Africans don't have many well-known players that the ordinary football fan would recognise. Tunisia instead looks on intangibles to make up for a purported lack of talent on paper.

The national team's motto, "Grinta," which is Italian for "grit," wonderfully captures the attitude of the underdog that Tunisians exhibit on the field.

They have used such intangibles in the past to spur ground-breaking successes at the World Cup. For instance, Tunisia became the first African or Arab nation to win a match at a World Cup in 1978 when it defeated Mexico 3-1 in the opening encounter of the group stages.

Unfortunately, Tarek Dhiab's golden generation's performances at the tournament did not match up to the bar they established in Argentina. In fact, Tunisia is the only one of the five African nations represented in Qatar who has never advanced past the group stage.

Tunisia has let up around half a goal per game over the course of more than 50 games starting in 2019. The team's focused midfield is one of its assets. Assa Ladouni and Ellyes Skhiri play holding duties in the centre of the field and are more than capable of passing the ball neatly to stronger offensive players.

An great offensive front line made up of Youssef Msakni, Wahbi Khazri, and Naim Sliti has a tonne of experience.

After a successful club career with Esperance de Tunis back home, he defied all odds by turning down a move to Europe in 2013 and choosing to settle down in the Qatar Stars League instead.

The Tunisian maestro has advanced to become one of Qatar's all-time greatest players in the ten years following his departure. Msakni was unable to compete due to a crippling knee injury he sustained before to the 2018 World Cup. After four years, his professional arc has fully circled, and "the ferret," as he is called in Tunisia, is prepared to cap off his career by finally advancing his country to the knockout rounds.