The head coach of the Tunisian national team, Sami Trabelsi, and the Eagles of Carthage players faced harsh criticism from the media and Tunisian fans following their exit in the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after losing to Mali in a penalty shootout, in a match that disappointed the hopes of the Tunisian sports community.

Local media focused on Trabelsi's tactical choices, considering the style of play to be overly cautious, with a lack of offensive solutions and mistakes in substitutions, such as taking off Hannibal Mjabri and Ismail Gharbi. This gave the Mali national team the advantage and control over the course of the match during crucial moments.

On their part, Tunisian fans expressed their strong anger on social media about the performance level of several players, pointing to a lack of fighting spirit and poor concentration in both defense and attack, which led to repeated mistakes and failure to capitalize on available opportunities.

This elimination raises significant questions about the future of the Tunisian national team's coaching staff, amid public and media calls for a comprehensive review—both in terms of the technical leadership and player selections—in preparation for upcoming challenges, foremost among them the World Cup, and to restore the team to a competitive path.