The Japan Times - Tunisia ask how Sweden World Cup star Ayari slipped its net

Ayari overshadowed his better-known teammates Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres in the 5-1 win on Sunday and is expected to start against the Netherlands on Saturday.

Born in Solna in Sweden to a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother, the 22-year-old is one of a large number of players at this World Cup who could have played for another country.

His displays for Swedish club AIK earned him a move to Premier League side Brighton in England in 2023, but he was loaned to Coventry and Blackburn before establishing himself at Brighton in the just-completed season.

Houssem Haj Ali, a former Tunisian national team player, told AFP the case of Ayari showed the North African nation was letting too much talent slip through its fingers.

"Of course, it is a great bitterness... The situation could have been the opposite if Yasin had worn the Tunisia jersey," he said.

Haj Ali called for lessons to be learned. "We must create the conditions that allow players of Tunisian origin to represent their country," he said.

"I am not speaking only about the Tunisian federation, but about the system in general."

- Turning their backs -

In another recent case of a player turning his back on Tunisia, Louey Ben Farhat of German club Karlsruhe was named in the country's World Cup squad but turned down his place.

Haj Ali added: "In the same way that we lost Louey Ben Farhat... who declined a national team call-up despite playing two friendly matches against Haiti and Canada, we also lost Ayari."

Ayari said he had "an indescribable feeling" after helping Sweden achieve their best start to a tournament in their 13 World Cup appearances.

"I'm used to scoring beautiful goals, but scoring two goals in the same match, especially in my first World Cup appearance against Tunisia, was exceptional for me," he told Swedish broadcaster SVT.

Ayari admitted though that it had been emotional to score against Tunisia, "the country I feel a strong sense of belonging and emotion for, and which I visit every summer."

Asked about his father’s feelings after Tunisia's heavy defeat, Yasin replied: "He is certainly happy for me, but I would rather that you ask him directly."

Tunisian representatives contacted a teenage Ayari in 2021 offering him a place in the 2022 World Cup squad, but he chose Sweden, with his father Azzouz's blessing.

In an interview with Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Azzouz Ayari confirmed that the Tunisian federation had offered his son a place in the World Cup squad if he changed his sporting nationality, but he added: "I wanted him to play for Sweden. He must give back to the country that supported him."

Ayari has a younger brother, Taha, who plays for Swedish club AIK, and has already played two matches with Sweden's under-21 team. He could well also follow in his brother's footsteps and opt for the yellow jersey of Sweden.

Tunisia have included many players born abroad, such as Moutaz Neffati, born and raised in Sweden, who played for Sweden's national youth teams before agreeing to represent Tunisia.

They also have Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, who was born in France, and the promising 18-year-old Canadian-born Rayan Elloumi.

Haj Ali concluded: "We do not have many global stars of Tunisian origin, which is why we must hold on to every player who emerges on the international stage."

T.Sato--JT