All eyes are on Tunisian star Youssef Msakni, a player for Esperance Sportive de Tunis, amid increasing reports of his imminent and unexpected retirement from his football career. It is anticipated that the decision might be made before the end of the 2025-2026 season, following developments that have impacted his mental state.

Msakni returned to the ranks of Esperance during the last winter transfer window, coming from the Qatari league on a free transfer, after a long career spanning more than 12 years in Qatar, during which he defended the colors of Al-Duhail and Al-Arabi clubs and achieved several accomplishments. However, his return did not bring the expected impact, as he was unable to regain his usual level of performance.

The player missed his team's training sessions after returning from Egypt following the match against Al-Ahly in the CAF Champions League semi-final. He is currently going through a psychological crisis since the passing of his father about two months ago, which has affected his performance and ability to regain his balance on the field.

These circumstances place the player in front of difficult choices, as his mental state affects his participation in training and matches, threatening his football future and making early retirement a possible option, despite attempts by those close to him to persuade him to continue.