Tunisia midfielder Ferjani Sassi has noted that he hopes an Arab nation will win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
“I hope that an Arab team will win the Africa Cup of Nations title in this edition,” Sassi said.
Speaking to ON Sport, Sassi reflected on Tunisia’s progression from the group stage, stressing that qualification was the team’s primary objective.
“We achieved our goal of qualifying for the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations. We wanted to beat Tanzania and score goals, but the most important thing is that we qualified,” he said.
The experienced midfielder believes Tunisia have what it takes to advance further in the competition, starting with their Round of 16 encounter against Mali.
“Now we want to put on a strong performance in the Mali match, and the Tunisian national team is capable of going far in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations,” Sassi added.
He also called for a balanced assessment of expectations surrounding the national team, acknowledging the passion of the supporters while urging realism.
“I respect the ambitions of the Tunisian fans, but football requires realism. We know that the ambitions are high, but we must be realistic in our analysis. Our first goal has been achieved, which is qualifying for the round of 16, and if we go after the fans’ wishes only, we must win every match by 4 or 5 goals,” he explained.
Tunisia are set to face Mali in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations next Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 8 pm (GMT+1).
