While Ismael Gharbi is lightning fast on the pitch, his international rise has been swifter still. Barely a month into his Tunisia career, he has packed almost every experience imaginable into that time, making his international debut in a 3-0 win against Liberia, helping his team to FIFA World Cup™ qualification four days later in a 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea and capping things off with a first start and a breakthrough goal in the 6-0 demolition of São Tomé and Príncipe.
The 21-year-old winger is spending this season on loan from Braga at Augsburg, but learnt his trade in Paris, where he cut his teeth alongside Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar. He sat down with FIFA for an exclusive interview.
Ismael Gharbi: Definitely. It was such an emotional moment, especially because it came at home, with my family and everyone watching from the stands. As the anthem played, I was really moved and caught up in so many emotions. Things went well out on the pitch too, with a win for the team and my first piece of the action. I made a good start and even had a chance with my first touch. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
The second match in Equatorial Guinea had a lot riding on it given that a World Cup spot was at stake. To be honest, they were tough opposition and they impressed me a great deal. In the end, we managed to stay solid at the back. That’s part of Tunisia’s DNA, just like our team spirit, which so often tips the balance in our favour. Although we let them have quite a few chances, we never gave up and eventually found the net and sealed qualification in one of the final moves of the match! It was an incredible moment because we snatched the win at the death, with almost the last kick of the game, which made it even sweeter!
My first start and my first goal! It was amazing to play at home, with my entire family in the stadium and my friends watching on too. When I saw the ball hit the back of the net, it was a truly special moment, especially because it was such a good goal. As firsts go, it’s hard to top that! Emotions were running high and it put a huge smile on my face to see all my team-mates rushing over to celebrate with me. The guys were over the moon and that meant the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo was my biggest role model. He’s someone who really inspired me. My family is Spanish, from Madrid, so I grew up with him. I used to copy everything he did, from his haircut to his boots and even the way he wore his shirt! When I was younger, I used to play almost exclusively on the left wing too. But it’s not just about his performances – I also admire him as a person. Later on, other players emerged that I really loved and whose style was closer to mine, like Eden Hazard and Isco, for example.
Yes, I used to go there all the time as a child. I would spend my summer holidays in Tunisia one year and Spain the next, so I’ve always felt a deep sense of connection to the place. I developed a real love for the country from an early age, not just for its beauty but for its people too.
I just had to go with my gut. I think lining up for a national side is different from playing for a club because you’re representing far more than just a team. I really followed my heart and it was telling me to play for Tunisia. It was also the right time. I wanted to be ready and be able to contribute something to this team.
Yes, I joined PSG when I was 12 years old and I had the chance to work with the professional team very early, when I was 16 and a half. It was obviously a dream come true. It was truly special, particularly given the calibre of players they had at the time. We’re talking about football’s elite – the finest players in the world, maybe even the best ever.
Back then, it was just about making the most of being around those players and having the opportunity to share a dressing room and training sessions with them. I was doing my best day in, day out to soak up as much as possible about what they were doing, both on and off the pitch, and to draw inspiration from it. These are the kind of moments that stay with you for a lifetime.
Yes, I’d be delighted. It’s been a long time. He oversaw my my first [professional] training sessions and we built a good relationship – I got on well with him. So I’d be happy if our paths crossed again.
The team spirit is outstanding and the atmosphere is incredible. The youngsters and the older players have a real connection and a strong bond. There’s a genuine sense of unity in this team and I think that shows out on the pitch. I really feel like I’ve been part of this team for years, even though this is only my second training camp! I settled in super quickly and it felt natural from the start.
When we scored in the final minute of the World Cup qualifier, you can see absolutely everyone running over to the same spot to celebrate the goal together: players, coaches and staff. That celebration showed just how united we are as a team.
Tunisia are heading to their third consecutive World Cup – that’s no small feat! They’ve shown real quality too – at the last World Cup, they managed to beat France [1-0] and draw against Denmark [0-0]. Our aim now is to progress to the knockout phase of the competition and see just how far we can go. I think this group of players can do it. We’ve got some World Cup veterans in the squad as well as a coach [Sami Trabelsi] who has been the linchpin of this national team himself and who really knows his stuff. That’s also a huge advantage for us.
