Tunisia men's national basketball team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Tunisia women's national basketball team.

The Tunisia men's national basketball team (Arabic: منتخب تونس لكرة السلة), nicknamed The Eagles of Carthage, represents Tunisia in international basketball. The team is governed by the Tunisia Basketball Federation (FTBB). To date, she has taken part in the regional championship the AfroBasket 23 times. In terms of the number of successful performances, it is inferior to the traditionally strong teams of Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Egypt. In 2011, the Tunisian national team became the champion of Africa for the first time in its history, defeating the Angola team in the AfroBasket 2011 final. The team's previous success was silver at the home Africa Championship 1965. The team also won bronze medals in the 1970, 1974, 2009 and 2015 competitions.

Tunisia

FIBA ranking	36 1 (25 February 2025)[1]
Joined FIBA	1956
FIBA zone	FIBA Africa
National federation	FTBB
Coach	Mehdy Mary
Nickname(s)	نسور قرطاج (Eagles of Carthage)[2]
Olympic Games
Appearances	1
FIBA World Cup
Appearances	2
AfroBasket
Appearances	24
Medals	Gold: (2011, 2017, 2021) Silver: (1965) Bronze: (1970, 1974, 2009, 2015)
African Games
Appearances	4
Medals	Gold: (1973) Bronze: (1978)
Arab Championship
Appearances	14
Medals	Gold: (1981, 1983, 2008, 2009) Silver: (2022, 2025) Bronze: (1991, 1992, 2002, 2007, 2023)
Home Away
First international
Tunisia 77–68 Morocco  (Beirut, Lebanon; 1957)
Biggest win
Tunisia 101–40 Chad  (Yaoundé, Cameroon; 25 November 2017)
Biggest defeat
Tunisia 36–93 France  (Pau, France; 31 July 2023)
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd AfroBasket 3 1 4 African Games 1 0 1 Arab Championship 4 1 4 Pan Arab Games 0 0 3 Mediterranean Games 0 0 1 Stanković Cup 0 1 2 Total 8 3 15

Despite fairly successful performances (the Tunisian national team never finished lower than eighth), the team was unable to repeat or even come close to the successes of the 1970s. The success of the 2009 was quite unexpected, when the team took third place at the AfroBasket 2009. Following the results of the draw, forward Amine Rzig was included in the symbolic team of the tournament, and the team in the preliminary round won 4 games with two defeats, but in three matches the Tunisian team won with a difference of two or one point. Tunisia reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1974, where they defeated Mali by one point. And although Tunisia lost to Angola in the semi-finals, Cameroon was beaten in the bronze medal match, and the Tunisian team automatically qualified for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. This was also the first time in the team's history that they qualified for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. However, the team performed poorly at the World Cup, losing all five matches in Group B and eventually finishing in 24th place. In 2017 as co-hosts,^[3] Tunisia won its second AfroBasket trophy by beating Nigeria 77–65 in the final.^[4] It retains its title in 2021 by beating Ivory Coast in the final with a score of 78–75.^[5]

At the Arab level, Tunisia participated in the Arab Basketball Championship 14 times, won the title four times in 1981, 1983, 2008, 2009, while it came in second place in 2022 and 2025 and third place five times, the last of which was in 2023.

History

In 2011, they won their first ever FIBA Africa Championship, after beating Angola in the final. Their previous best finish was at the FIBA Africa Championship 1965, when they won the silver medal as the host country.^[6] They also won a bronze medal at the FIBA Africa Championship 1970 and FIBA Africa Championship 1974.^[7][8]

Although the Tunisians never finished worse than eighth in any of their succeeding appearances, they were not able to break onto the podium again until a surprise bronze medal run at the FIBA Africa Championship 2009. Led by All-Tournament First Team forward Amine Rzig,^[9] the Tunisians went 4–2 in the preliminary rounds, winning three games by two points or less. They reached the semi-finals for only the second time since 1974, by another slim margin – this time a one-point victory over Mali. Although they were defeated by Angola in the semi-finals, the Tunisians topped Cameroon in the bronze medal game, to claim Africa's third and final automatic berth in the 2010 FIBA World Championship – its first ever FIBA World Cup berth. The Tunisians struggled to compete in the World Championship, losing all five of their games, and finishing last in Group B, and 24th overall. Yet, after almost forty years of mediocrity in Africa, Tunisia has become one of the continent's prime competitors again. Its appearances at the global stage have become a new milestone in the team's history.

Honours

Official competitions AfroBasket Champions (3): 2011, 2017, 2021 Runner-up (1): 1965 Third place (4): 1970, 1974, 2009, 2015 African Games Champions (1): 1973 Third place (1): 1978 Arab Championship Champions (4): 1981, 1983, 2008, 2009 Runner-up (2): 2022, 2025 Third place (5): 1991, 1992, 2002, 2007, 2023 Pan Arab Games Third place (3): 1957, 1985, 1992 Mediterranean Games Third place (1): 2013

Minor competitions FIBA Stanković Cup Runner-up (1): 2018 Third place (2): 2012, 2019 King Abdullah II International Cup Champions (1): 2008 Runner-up (3): 2004, 2007, 2011 Third place (2): 2003, 2021 Czech Republic Basketball Tournament Runner-up (1): 2019

Awards

• AfroBasket Most Valuable Player

2011: Salah Mejri^[10]

2021: Makram Ben Romdhane^[11]

• AfroBasket All-Tournament Team

2009: Amine Rzig

2011: Marouan Kechrid, Makrem Ben Romdhane, Salah Mejri

2015: Makram Ben Romdhane (2)^[12]

2017: Mourad El Mabrouk, Mohamed Hdidane^[13]

2021: Omar Abada, Makram Ben Romdhane (3)^[14]

Competitive record

Tunisia against Nigeria at the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 final.

Unlike other team sports, where Tunisia is well positioned at the regional level, the Tunisian men's basketball team has not managed to expand its list of trophies even if at the continental level it can consider among the most awarded countries. Finalist of the African championship held in home in 1965, four times third and twice fourth, Tunisia did not succeed in becoming African champion of the discipline until 2011 without however maintaining its rank since, during the following edition, it is relegated to ninth place.

At the Arab level, the prize list is more extensive with four champion titles, in 1981, 1983, 2008 and 2009, a second place and three third places. On 28 August 2011, the team won the AfroBasket for the first time after defeating Angola 67–56 in the final and qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[15] In 2017 as co-hosts,^[16] Tunisia won its second AfroBasket by beating Nigeria 77–65 in the final.^[17] It retains its title in 2021 by beating Ivory Coast in the final with a score of 78–75.^[18] On 16 February 2022, Tunisia lost the final of the 2022 Arab Championship against Lebanon 69–72 in the United Arab Emirates.

  Champions    Runners up    Third place    Fourth place

• Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Olympic Games

Olympic Games
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA	PD
1936	Part of France
1948
1952
1956	Did not qualify
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012	Group stage	11th	5	0	5	320	411	−91
2016	Did not qualify
2020
2024
Total	Group stage	1/18	5	0	5	320	411	−91

FIBA World Cup

World Cup
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA	PD
1950	Part of France
1954
1959	Did not qualify
1963
1967
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010	Group stage	24th	5	0	5	300	407	−107
2014	Did not qualify
2019	Group stage	20th	5	3	2	377	386	−9
2023	Did not qualify
2027	To be determined
Total	Group stage	2/17	10	3	7	677	793	−116

AfroBasket

AfroBasket
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA	PD
1962	Did not enter
1964	Fourth place	4th	5	2	3	300	297	+3
1965	Runners-up	2nd	4	2	2	212	217	−5
1968	Did not enter
1970	Third place	3rd	4	2	2	268	220	+48
1972	Group stage	5th	6	4	2	482	398	+84
1974	Third place	3rd	6	4	2	471	451	+20
1975	Classification stage	5th	5	0	5	411	426	−15
1978	Did not enter
1980
1981	Classification stage	6th	5	3	2	295	355	−60
1983	Did not enter
1985	Classification stage	8th	6	2	4	402	467	−65
1987	Classification stage	5th	4	2	2	292	294	−2
1989	Classification stage	8th	6	2	4	488	512	−24
1992	Classification stage	7th	5	1	4	284	308	−24
1993	Classification stage	8th	5	1	4	410	451	−41
1995	Did not enter
1997
1999	Classification stage	5th	6	4	2	314	309	+5
2001	Fourth place	4th	7	4	3	536	522	+14
2003	Classification stage	6th	6	3	3	433	389	+44
2005	Quarter-finals	8th	8	2	6	527	529	−2
2007	Quarter-finals	6th	6	3	3	428	415	+13
2009	Third place	3rd	9	6	3	659	641	+18
2011	Champions	1st	7	7	0	544	375	+169
2013	Round of 16	9th	5	4	1	382	311	+71
2015	Third place	3rd	7	6	1	484	425	+59
2017	Champions	1st	6	6	0	428	347	+81
2021	Champions	1st	6	6	0	470	383	+87
2025	Round of 16	12th	4	1	3	266	320	−54
Total	3 Titles	24/31	138	77	61	9786	9362	+424

AfroCan

AfroCan
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	PF	PA	PD
2019	Quarterfinals	7th	5	3	2	356	339	+17
2023	Quarterfinals	5th	5	4	1	335	306	+29
Total	Quarterfinals	2/2	10	7	3	691	645	+46

Other records

Tournament	Round	Position	GP	W	L
1957 Pan Arab Games	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
1973 African Games	Champions	1st	–	–	–
1978 African Games	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
1981 Arab Championship	Champions	1st	–	–	–
1983 Arab Championship	Champions	1st	–	–	–
1985 Pan Arab Games	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
1991 Arab Championship	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
1992 Arab Championship	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
1992 Pan Arab Games	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2002 Arab Championship	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2003 King's Cup	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2004 King's Cup	Runners-up	2nd	–	–	–
2007 King's Cup	Runners-up	2nd	–	–	–
2007 Arab Championship	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2008 Arab Championship	Champions	1st	–	–	–
2008 King's Cup	Champions	1st	–	–	–
2009 Arab Championship	Champions	1st	–	–	–
2011 King's Cup	Runners-up	2nd	–	–	–
2012 Stanković Cup	Third place	3rd	4	2	2
2013 Mediterranean Games	Third place	3rd	4	2	2
2018 Stanković Cup	Runners-up	2nd	–	–	–
2019 Stanković Cup	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2019 Czech Republic Tournament	Runners-up	2nd	–	–	–
2021 King's Cup	Third place	3rd	–	–	–
2022 Arab Championship	Runners-up	2nd	5	4	1
2023 Arab Championship	Third place	3rd	7	5	2
2025 Arab Championship	Runners-up	2nd	6	5	1

Team

Salah Mejri is the country's most recognized player

Michael Roll is a starter on the team

Current roster

Roster for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers matches on 26, 27 and 28 August 2022 against Egypt, Senegal and DR Congo.^[19]

Tunisia men's national basketball team roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr. G 1 Oussama Marnaoui 23 – (1999-06-16)16 June 1999 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) US Monastir G 3 Achref Gannouni 25 – (1997-04-16)16 April 1997 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Étoile Sportive du Sahel PG 4 Omar Abada 29 – (1993-04-20)20 April 1993 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) Al-Ittihad Jeddah SG 5 Ziyed Chennoufi 23 – (1998-11-29)29 November 1998 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) US Monastir SG 7 Mourad El Mabrouk 35 – (1986-10-19)19 October 1986 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Jalaa SC PF 9 Mohamed Hadidane 36 – (1986-04-27)27 April 1986 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Al Wahda PF 10 Yacine Toumi 21 – (2000-10-12)12 October 2000 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) BWB Team 3 Men C 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza 35 – (1986-11-15)15 November 1986 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) US Monastir PF 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane 33 – (1989-03-27)27 March 1989 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) Benfica SG 20 Michael Roll 35 – (1987-04-12)12 April 1987 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Pınar Karşıyaka PF 23 Firas Lahiani 31 – (1991-07-16)16 July 1991 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) Smouha SC C 50 Salah Mejri 36 – (1986-06-15)15 June 1986 2.17 m (7 ft 1 in) Al-Jahra SC	Head coach Erman Kunter Assistant coach(es) Amine Rzig Oualid Zrida Legend Club – describes last club before the competition Age – describes age on 24 August 2021

Depth chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Bench 2
C	Salah Mejri	Mokhtar Ghyaza
PF	Makram Ben Romdhane	Firas Lahiani	Yacine Toumi
SF	Michael Roll	Ziyed Chennoufi	Mohamed Hadidane
SG	Mourad El Mabrouk	Oussama Marnaoui
PG	Omar Abada	Achref Gannouni

Past rosters

2001 FIBA Africa Championship: finished 4th among 12 teams

Ali El Amri, Atef Maoua, Heithem Sayed, Habib El Ouaer, Issam Ben Douissa, Lamjad Njah, Madji Boulaabi, Mejdi Maalaoui, Mourad Ben Hassine, Oualid Bouslama, Souheil Kechrid, Walid Braiki (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

---

2003 FIBA Africa Championship: finished 6th among 12 teams

Maher Khenfir, Mourad El Mabrouk, Amine Rzig, Khaled Yahiaoui, Atef Maoua, Ali El Amri, Haitham Essayed, Mourad Ben Hassine, Oualid Bouslama, Radhouane Slimane, Issam Ben Douissa, Fouhed Stiti (Coach: Marian Novović)

---

2005 FIBA Africa Championship: finished 6th among 12 teams

Radhouane Slimane, Walid Bouslama, Ali El Amri, Oussama Ferjani, Naim Dhifallah, Marouan Kechrid, Maher Khenfir, Marouane Lahmar, Atef Maoua, Fouhed Stiti, Samy Ouellani, Mejdi Maalaoui (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

---

AfroBasket 2007: finished 6th among 16 teams

Ali Amri, Amine Rezig, Atef Maoua, Fouhed Stiti, Hamdi Braa, Marwen Laghnej, Majdi Maalaouli, Naim Dhifallah, Nizar Knioua, Omar Mouhli, Walid Dhouibi, Radhouane Slimane (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

---

AfroBasket 2009: finished 3rd among 16 teams

4 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 5 Marouen Lahmar, 6 Nizar Knioua, 7 Naim Dhifallah, 8 Marouan Kechrid, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Atef Maoua, 11 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 12 Anis Hedidane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Hamdi Braa, 15 Salah Mejri (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

---

2010 FIBA World Championship: finished 24th among 24 teams

4 Radhouane Slimane, 5 Marouan Laghnej, 6 Nizar Knioua, 7 Naim Dhifallah, 8 Marouan Kechrid, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Atef Maoua, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Hamdi Braa, 15 Salah Mejri (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

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AfroBasket 2011: finished 1st among 16 teams

4 Radhouane Slimane, 5 Marouan Laghnej, 6 Amine Maghrebi, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Marouan Kechrid, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Lassaad Chouaya, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Zied Toumi, 15 Salah Mejri (MVP) (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

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2012 Summer Olympics: finished 12th among 12 teams

4 Radhouane Slimane, 5 Marouan Laghnej, 6 Nizar Knioua, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Marouan Kechrid, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Mehdi Hafsi, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Youssef Gaddour, 15 Salah Mejri (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

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AfroBasket 2013: finished 9th among 16 teams

4 Radhouane Slimane, 5 Ziyed Chennoufi, 6 Nizar Knioua, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Marouan Kechrid, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Omar Mouhli, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Lassaad Chouaya, 15 Salah Mejri (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

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AfroBasket 2015: finished 3rd among 16 teams

4 Omar Abada, 5 Mohamed Abbassi, 6 Nizar Knioua, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Mehdi Sayeh, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Michael Roll, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 13 Amine Rzig, 14 Hamdi Braa, 15 Salah Mejri (Coach: Adel Tlatli)

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AfroBasket 2017: finished 1st among 16 teams

4 Omar Abada, 5 Ziyed Chennoufi, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Omar Mouhli, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 10 Bechir Hadidane, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 20 Mohamed Adam Rassil, 23 Firas Lahyani, 45 Radhouane Slimane (Coach: Mário Palma)

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2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup: finished 20th among 23 teams

4 Omar Abada, 5 Ziyed Chennoufi, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 8 Omar Mouhli, 9 Mohamed Hdidane, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane, 19 Mohamed Abbassi, 20 Michael Roll, 45 Radhouane Slimane, 50 Salah Mejri, 66 Nizar Knioua (Coach: Mário Palma)

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AfroBasket 2021: finished 1st among 16 teams

1 Oussama Marnaoui, 3 Achref Gannouni, 4 Omar Abada, 5 Ziyed Chennoufi, 7 Mourad El Mabrouk, 11 Mokhtar Ghyaza, 12 Makrem Ben Romdhane (MVP), 14 Amrou Bouallegue, 20 Michael Roll, 32 Ahmed Addami, 45 Radhouane Slimane, 50 Salah Mejri (Coach: Dirk Bauermann)

Head coaches

All Time Head coaches

Period Head Coach 1957–1959 Hammadi Driss 1960–1961 Griffith 1961–1962 Borhane Errais 1962–1963 Miodrag Stefanović 1963–1965 Borhane Errais 1965–1966 Valensky 1966–1967 Faherty 1967–1968 Katarinsky 1968–1971 Igor Tocigl 1971 Václav Krása 1971–1972 Bill Sweek 1972–1978 Mohamed Senoussi

Period Head Coach 1978–1979 Khaled Senoussi 1979–1981 Mohamed Senoussi 1981 Khaled Senoussi 1982–1983 Mohamed Zaouali 1983–1987 Youri Velligoura 1988–1990 Ridha Laabidi 1990–1991 Mohamed Senoussi 1991–1992 Khaled Senoussi 1992–1994 Mohamed Zaouali 1994–1996 Igor Tocigl 1997–1998 Juan Manuel Monsalve 1998–1999 Mustapha Bouchenak

Period Head Coach 1999–2000 Zoran Zupčević 2000–2001 Francis Jordane & Mounir Ben Sliman 2001–2002 Adel Tlatli 2002–2003 Marijan Novović 2004 Walid Gharbi 2004–2016 Adel Tlatli 2016–2020 Mário Palma 2020–2022 Dirk Bauermann 2022–2023 Erman Kunter 2023 Mário Palma 2023–present Mehdy Mary

Kit

Manufacturer

2015 – Nike^[20]

Sponsor

2015 – Tunisie Telecom^[20]

See also

• Basketball portal
• Africa portal

• Tunisia A' national basketball team
• Tunisia women's national basketball team
• Tunisia men's national under-20 basketball team
• Tunisia national under-19 basketball team
• Tunisia national under-17 basketball team
• Tunisia women's national under-20 basketball team
• Tunisia women's national under-19 basketball team
• Tunisia women's national under-17 basketball team
• Tunisia national 3x3 team
• Tunisia women's national 3x3 team
• Tunisia Basketball Federation