The Tunisian national handball team (Arabic: منتخب تونس لكرة اليد), nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage (The Eagles of Carthage or The Carthage Eagles), is the national handball team of Tunisia. It is governed by the Tunisian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions.
| Tunisia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Information | |||
| Nickname | The eagles of Carthage (نسور قرطاج) | ||
| Association | Tunisian Handball Federation | ||
| Coach | Patrick Cazal | ||
| Assistant coach | Wissem Hmam Mohamed Riadh Sanaa | ||
| Most caps | Issam Tej (316) | ||
| Most goals | Oussama Boughanmi (865) | ||
| Colours | |||
| |||
| Results | |||
| Summer Olympics | |||
| Appearances | 4 (First in 1972) | ||
| Best result | 8th (2012) | ||
| World Championship | |||
| Appearances | 16 (First in 1967) | ||
| Best result | 4th (2005) | ||
| African Championship | |||
| Appearances | 26 (First in 1974) | ||
| Best result |  1st (1974, 1976, 1979, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018) | ||
| Last updated on Unknown. | |||
The Tunisian Handball League was established in 1953. In 1957, the Tunisian Handball Federation was founded and was later admitted into the International Handball Federation in 1962.
The Tunisian national handball team has participated in handball world championships. In 2005 Tunisia finished in 4th place; becoming the second non-European team to reach the World Championship semi-finals after Egypt who was able to reach the semi-final match in 2001. The Tunisian national handball team won the African Nations Championship for a record 10 times (1974, 1976, 1979, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018). The Tunisians won the 2018 African Championship in Gabon by defeating Egypt in the final match.
History
editTunisia is the most successful team in the African Nations Championship with ten titles won in 1974, 1976, 1979, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2018, and played in the final eight times in 1985, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2016 and 2020. They also won a bronze medal six times in 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2000.
At the World Championships, in 2005 it obtained the best performance obtained by an African country, a fourth place, thus equaling Egypt (place obtained in 2001).
During the 2005–06 season, Heykel Megannem was voted the best player in the French championship, with Wissem Hmam and Issam Tej also being in the standard team, respectively as left-back and pivot.
Following the 2009 world championship, the federation sidelined Issam Tej for "indiscipline, insolence and recidivism" and Makram Missaoui for "having refused to resume play against Poland", while Maher Kraiem was suspended for three months for “misconduct”.
The team is coached by the Croatian Sead Hasanefendić until June 2008, before being replaced by the Serb Zoran Živković from 24 October 2008. However, the federation dismisses him following the poor performance of the team during the 2009 world championship. He was replaced by the Tunisian Sayed Ayari and then, in June 2009, by the Frenchman Alain Portes, who signed a three-year contract.
In 2013, Alain Portes' contract was not being renewed, so he took over from Olivier Krumbholz at the head of the French women's team and was replaced by Sead Hasanefendić, back at the head of the national team for the following three seasons. In 2020, coach Toni Gerona is dismissed.
Infrastructure
editThe El Menzah Sports Palace, built in 1967, is the hall of the national team. Built for the 2005 World Men's Handball Championship, of which it hosted the final and all of Tunisia's matches, the Salle Omnisport de Radès now hosted most of the national team's matches.
Honours
editOfficial competitions
edit
Champions (10) 
: 1974, 1976, 1979, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018
Runners-up: 1985, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2016, 2020
Third Place: 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2024
Minor tournaments
editWorld cup
Runners-up: 2006
Yellow Cup
Champions: 2007, 2015, 2016, 2019
Runners-up: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2020
Third Place: 2008, 2010
Paris Ile-de-France tournament
- Champions: 2005
- Third Place: 1998, 2002, 2007, 2013
Championnat maghrébin des nations
- Champions : 1969, 1971, 1973
Tunisia international tournament
- Champions: 2015, 2017, 2021
Four Nations Cup Poland
- Champions: 2021, 2022
Three Nations Cup Tunisia
- Champions: 2023
Challenge Marrane
- Champions: 2008
Four Nations Tournament
- Runners-up: 2015
Air Caraïbes Cup
- Runners-up: 2019
Spain international tournament
- Third Place: 1999, 2002, 2012
Competitive record
editChampions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
- Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.
Olympic Games
edit| Olympic Games | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
 1936
|
Part of France | ||||||||
| Not held from 1948 to 1968 | |||||||||
 1972
|
Match for 15th place | 16th | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 72 | 118 | −46 |
 1976
|
Withdrawn after two games | ||||||||
 1980
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 1984
| |||||||||
 1988
| |||||||||
 1992
| |||||||||
| 1996
| |||||||||
 2000
|
Match for 9th place | 10th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 130 | 141 | −11 |
 2004
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 2008
| |||||||||
 2012
|
Quarter-finals | 8th | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 144 | 150 | −6 |
 2016
|
Group stage | 12th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 118 | 145 | −27 |
 2020
|
Did not qualify | ||||||||
 2024
| |||||||||
| Total | 4/15 | 0 Titles | 22 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 464 | 554 | −90 |
World Championship
edit| World Championships | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | |||
| 1938 |
Did not enter | ||||||||
 1954
| |||||||||
| 1958
| |||||||||
| 1961
| |||||||||
 1964
| |||||||||
| 1967 |
Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||
| 1970 |
Did not enter | ||||||||
 1974
| |||||||||
 1978
| |||||||||
| 1982
| |||||||||
| 1986
| |||||||||
| 1990
| |||||||||
| 1993
| |||||||||
 1995 |
Quarter-finals | 15th | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |||
| 1997 |
Quarter-finals | 16th | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |||
 1999 |
Quarter-finals | 12th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 2001 |
Quarter-finals | 10th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||
 2003 |
Quarter-finals | 14th | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |||
 2005 |
Fourth place | 4th | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | |||
| 2007 |
Quarter-finals | 11th | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |||
 2009 |
Group stage | 17th | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | |||
| 2011 |
Group stage | 20th | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | |||
| 2013 |
Quarter-finals | 11th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||
 2015 |
Quarter-finals | 15th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| 2017 |
Group stage | 19th | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 2019 |
Main round | 12th | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |||
| 2021 |
Presidents Cup | 25th | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||
 2023 |
Presidents Cup | 25th | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||
 2025 |
Qualified | ||||||||
| 2027 |
To be determined | ||||||||
| 2029
| |||||||||
| 2031
| |||||||||
| Total | Fourth place | 17/21 | 104 | 41 | 8 | 55 | |||
- Tunisia did not compete From 1938 to 1964 and 1970 to 1993.
- Red border color indicates tournament was held on home :soil.
African Championship
edit| African Championship | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | |||
| 1974 |
Champions | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||
 1976 |
Champions | 1st | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||
 1979 |
Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 1981 |
Third place | 3rd | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1983 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | |||
 1985 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||
 1987 |
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 1989 |
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 1991 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||
 1992 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 1994 |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |||
 1996 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | |||
 1998 |
Champions | 1st | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2000 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 2002 |
Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2004 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2006 |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2008 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2010 |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2012 |
Champions | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2014 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2016 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |||
 2018 |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2020 |
Runners-up | 2nd | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | |||
| 2022 |
Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 2024 |
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Total | Champions | 26/26 | 152 | 124 | 5 | 23 | |||
African Games
edit| African Games | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L |
 1965
|
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
 1973
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 1978
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
 1987
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 1991
| ||||||
 1995
|
Withdrew | |||||
| 1999
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 2003
| ||||||
| 2007
|
Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
 2011
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 2015
| ||||||
| 2019
| ||||||
| Total | Runners-up | 3/12 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 |
Mediterranean Games
edit| Mediterranean Games | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L |
| 1967
|
Third place | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 1971
|
Tournament canceled | |||||
| 1975
|
Fourth place | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
 1979
|
Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1983
|
Fourth place | 4th | ||||
 1987
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 1991
| ||||||
| 1993
| ||||||
 1997
|
Eighth place | 8th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 2001
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005
|
Third place | 3rd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009
|
Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013
|
Group stage | 7th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2018
|
Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022
|
Fifth Place | 5th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | Runners-up | 11/14 | ||||
Pan Arab Games
edit| Arab Games | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L |
| 1961
|
Did not participate | |||||
 1965
| ||||||
 1976
| ||||||
| 1985
|
Champions | 1st | ||||
| 1992
|
Third place | 3rd | ||||
 1997
|
Tournament canceled | |||||
 1999
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 2004
|
Tournament canceled | |||||
| 2007
|
Did not participate | |||||
| 2011
|
Third place | 3rd | ||||
| Total | Champions | 3/10 | ||||
Other records
edit| Other records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position |
| 1969 Maghreb Nations Championship | Final | Champions |
| 1971 Maghreb Nations Championship | Final | Champions |
| 1973 Maghreb Nations Championship | Final | Champions |
| 1998 Paris Ile-de-France tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 1999 Spain international tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2002 Paris Ile-de-France tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2002 Yellow Cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2002 Spain international tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2003 Yellow Cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2004 Yellow Cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2005 Paris Ile-de-France tournament | Final | Champions |
| 2006 World cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2007 Paris Ile-de-France tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2007 Yellow Cup | Final | Champions |
| 2008 Challenge Marrane | Final | Champions |
| 2008 Yellow Cup | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2010 Yellow Cup | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2012 Spain international tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2013 Paris Ile-de-France tournament | Semi-final | Third place |
| 2015 Yellow Cup | Final | Champions |
| 2015 Tunisia international tournament | Final | Champions |
| 2015 Four Nations Tournament | Final | Runners-up |
| 2016 Yellow Cup | Final | Champions |
| 2017 Tunisia international tournament | Final | Champions |
| 2019 Yellow Cup | Final | Champions |
| 2019 Air Caraïbes Cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2020 Yellow Cup | Final | Runners-up |
| 2021 Tunisia international tournament | Final | Champions |
| 2021 Four Nations Cup Poland | Final | Champions |
| 2022 Four Nations Cup Poland | Final | Champions |
Team
editCurrent squad
editSquad for the 2023 World Men's Handball Championship.[1][2]
Head coach: Patrick Cazal
|
Head coaches
edit| Period | Head Coach | Honours |
|---|---|---|
| 1957–1962 | Yves Boulogne
|
— |
| 1962 | Michel Djulizibaric
|
— |
| 1962–1966 | Mohamed Louahchy
|
— |
| 1966–1968 |  Constantin Popa & Haralambie Firan
|
— |
| 1968–1972 | Haralambie Firan
|
— |
| 1973–1975 | Ion Popescu
|
1974
|
| 1976–1979 | Saïd Amara
|
1976
|
| 1979–1982 | Hachemi Razgallah
|
1979
|
| 1982–1983 | Guennadi Antchenko
|
1981
|
| 1983–1985 | Reiner Ganschow
|
1983 1985
|
| 1985–1987 | Sayed Ayari
|
1987 1989
|
| 1987–1989 | Moncef Hajjar
|
— |
| 1989–1990 | Saïd Amara
|
— |
| 1990–1991 | Lamjed Amroussi
|
1991
|
| 1991–1994 | Hachemi Razgallah
|
1992
|
| 1994–1996 | Sayed Ayari & Saïd Amara
|
1994 1996 1998
|
| 1996–1997 | Saïd Amara
|
— |
| 1997 | Brahim Agrebi
|
— |
| 1997–1998 | Noureddine Ben Ameur
|
— |
| 1998–2003 | Sayed Ayari & Saïd Amara
|
2000 2002
|
| 2003 | Sayed Ayari
|
— |
| 2004 |  Zoran Živković
|
2004
|
| 2004–2008 | Sead Hasanefendić
|
2006 2008
|
| 2008–2009 | Zoran Živković
|
— |
| 2009 | Sayed Ayari
|
— |
| 2009–2014 | Alain Portes
|
2010 2012
|
| 2014–2015 | Sead Hasanefendić
|
2014
|
| 2015–2016 | Sylvain Nouet
|
2016
|
| 2016–2017 | Hafedh Zouabi
|
— |
| 2017–2020 | Toni Gerona
|
2018 2020
|
| 2020–2022 | Sami Saïdi
|
— |
| 2022– | Patrick Cazal
|
2024
|
Notable players
editSee also
edit- Tunisian Handball Federation
- Tunisia women's national handball team
- Tunisia men's national junior handball team
- Tunisia men's national youth handball team
- Tunisia women's national junior handball team
- Tunisia women's national youth handball team
- Other handball codes
References
edit- ^ "Mondial Pologne/Suède 2023 : la liste de la Tunisie pour le mondial" (in French). handball.tn. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Team Roster Tunisia" (PDF). ihf.info. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
External links
edit- Tunisian Handball (in French)
- IHF profile