Tunisian midfielder Issa El Aidouni has left open the possibility of returning to the national team after being left out of the squad for the 2026 World Cup, but says his immediate priority is his club career with Al Wakrah.
The 30-year-old was not included in Tunisia’s squad for the tournament after previously establishing himself as an important member of the “Eagles of Carthage”.
Asked by WinWin about his international future, El Aidouni avoided making a firm commitment either way.
“We will see what happens at the moment. As I said, I am currently focused on Al-Wakrah, and we will see what happens with the national team, God willing.”
His comments come as Tunisia begin a new period under coach Moine Chaabani following recent changes to the national team’s technical staff.
Those changes have led to the return of several players who were absent from the previous squad, putting El Aidouni’s international future back into focus.
When asked specifically whether the appointment of a new coach had increased his hopes of returning to Tunisia duty, the Al Wakrah midfielder again remained cautious.
“As I said, we will see. I am currently focused on Al Wakrah, and we will see what happens, God willing.”
The midfielder’s responses leave the possibility of a comeback open without confirming that he intends to return.
For now, El Aidouni appears keen to avoid becoming drawn into the issues surrounding his absence from Tunisia’s World Cup squad and instead concentrate on his performances at club level.
El Aidouni refuses to revisit World Cup disappointment
El Aidouni was also asked about his feelings over missing the 2026 World Cup, but appeared unwilling to discuss the subject in detail.
His response was brief and light-hearted.
“You’re looking for trouble (laughs),”
He then thanked those present and moved on from the question.
The exchange comes after a difficult period in the midfielder’s relationship with the national team. El Aidouni had previously been a regular and influential figure for Tunisia and represented the country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
His absence from the latest tournament therefore marked a significant change in his international career.
Rather than publicly revisiting the circumstances surrounding his omission, his latest comments suggest that he would prefer to leave the past behind.
At the same time, his refusal to rule out a return means the issue is unlikely to disappear entirely.
From France to European football
El Aidouni was born in France in 1996 and began his football development at the Angers academy.
He progressed through the club’s youth system before beginning his professional career in France. Loan spells with Les Herbiers and Chambly followed before he moved abroad.
In 2018, he joined Romanian club Voluntari, beginning a period in which his career developed outside France.
Two years later, he moved to Hungary to join Ferencváros.
It was at Ferencváros that El Aidouni enjoyed one of the strongest periods of his European career. He helped the club win the Hungarian league twice and also lifted the Hungarian Cup.
His performances earned him a move to Germany, where he joined Union Berlin in January 2023.
El Aidouni featured for Union Berlin in the German league as well as European competition. His experience included six appearances in the Champions League.
He left the German club in the summer of 2024 and moved to Qatar to join Al Wakrah, where he remains focused on his club career.
More than 50 Tunisia appearances
El Aidouni opted to represent Tunisia internationally despite being born in France.
His first appearance for the Tunisian national team came in March 2021, after which he became an important part of the midfield.
He represented Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nations and was selected for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Although Tunisia were eliminated in the group stage, El Aidouni produced performances that underlined his importance to the side.
He has since accumulated more than 50 international appearances and has scored two goals for the national team.
His absence from the 2026 World Cup has consequently created uncertainty over the next stage of his international career.
With Chaabani now overseeing a new phase for Tunisia, El Aidouni’s position could become clearer in the months ahead.
For the moment, however, the midfielder is keeping his options open.
His repeated message is that his attention is on Al Wakrah, while his comments about the national team indicate that he has not closed the door on representing Tunisia again.
As he put it: “We’ll see what happens.”
