New Tunisia head coach Moine Chaabani is expected to review the international future of Louay Ben Farhat as he begins reshaping the national team following his appointment.
Chaabani’s first task will extend beyond selecting players for his squad, with several unresolved issues from the previous administration also requiring attention. Ben Farhat’s situation is among the most prominent, after the Karlsruhe striker was considered for Tunisia before the 2026 World Cup but was ultimately left out of the final squad.
Reopening the player’s file would not necessarily mean an immediate call-up. Instead, Chaabani is expected to reassess Ben Farhat’s current form, establish communication with him and then allow the technical staff to determine whether he merits selection.
The case is particularly significant because Ben Farhat is not an unknown quantity to the Tunisia set-up.
He was called up in March 2026 while Sabri Lamouchi was in charge, following an impressive spell with Karlsruhe in the German second division. At the time, the striker had scored five goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances for his club.
His omission from Tunisia’s final World Cup squad subsequently became controversial following developments and statements that attracted considerable attention in Tunisian football.
That means Chaabani is not deciding whether to introduce a completely new player to the national team. Instead, he must determine whether a player who had already reached international contention should be given another opportunity.
Chaabani must assess both football and relationships
The Ben Farhat situation presents Chaabani with two separate challenges.
From a sporting perspective, the new coach needs to examine the attacking options available to him and consider whether Ben Farhat’s qualities can strengthen the team.
The striker’s development has taken place within the German football system rather than Tunisia’s domestic academy structure. He progressed through different stages in Germany before reaching Karlsruhe’s first team.
His experience has exposed him to a different footballing environment, with his development shaped by the German school and continued competition in a professional league.
Those circumstances have contributed to characteristics including speed of play, movement away from the ball and regular exposure to European football.
Ben Farhat’s scoring record has also helped establish his reputation as one of the young Tunisian forwards worth monitoring.
When he received his Tunisia call-up in March, his five goals and two assists from 11 matches for Karlsruhe provided a statistical basis for the interest surrounding him.
The fact that he remains young also gives him considerable room for further development.
For Chaabani, that could make Ben Farhat an attractive option as he attempts to broaden the pool of players available to the national side rather than relying solely on established names.
A chance to start again
The administrative side of the situation may be just as important.
Re-establishing contact with Ben Farhat could allow both the player and the national team to move beyond the controversy that surrounded his World Cup omission.
Chaabani does not have to reproduce the decisions made by the previous coaching regime, nor does he need to reject everything that happened before he took charge.
His responsibility is to evaluate players according to their current sporting ability and their potential contribution to Tunisia.
That approach would mean neither automatically recalling Ben Farhat because of what happened previously nor excluding him because of the controversy.
Instead, the striker’s current form would become the principal consideration.
If Chaabani and his staff conclude that Ben Farhat can strengthen the team, the events surrounding the World Cup should not necessarily prevent his return.
Conversely, if they believe other attacking options are stronger, leaving him out would also be a footballing decision.
Ben Farhat’s numbers put him back in contention
The striker’s performances in Germany provide Chaabani with a clear starting point for his assessment.
Ben Farhat has developed within the German system and reached Karlsruhe’s first team after progressing through the country’s football structure.
His five goals and two assists in 11 games by March 2026 showed that his development was translating into tangible output at senior level.
Those figures helped earn him international recognition and made him a player capable of competing for a place in Tunisia’s attack.
His continued progress in Germany means Chaabani can monitor a player who is still developing while competing regularly in a professional environment.
That could become particularly valuable for a coach seeking to increase competition for places within the national team.
The decision, however, remains with Chaabani and his technical staff.
The new coach is not being asked to recall Ben Farhat simply to satisfy supporters or revisit an old disagreement. His task is to determine whether the player is currently good enough to contribute to Tunisia.
First camp could provide the answer
Chaabani’s first training camp is likely to offer an early indication of whether the Ben Farhat chapter will be reopened or whether the previous disagreement will continue to define the relationship.
For Ben Farhat, time is an important advantage. He remains a young player, his professional career in Germany is still developing and his performances can continue to improve.
For Chaabani, meanwhile, the situation offers an opportunity to establish a different approach to players whose previous national-team experiences have ended in controversy.
Reopening communication with Ben Farhat would therefore send a wider message about how the new coach intends to select his players: previous disputes will not automatically determine future decisions, while selection will remain based on sporting merit.
The ultimate decision will depend on what Chaabani sees from the striker’s current performances and whether he believes Ben Farhat has the qualities required to contribute to Tunisia.
A return is therefore possible, but it is not guaranteed.
What matters for the new coach is that the door can be reconsidered on footballing grounds. If Ben Farhat proves that his level deserves another opportunity, Chaabani has the authority to give him one.
