Rani Khedira, the new "Eagle of Carthage"... a choice of the heart or an opportunist move? | OneFootball

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Rani Khedira, the new "Eagle of Carthage".

Rani Khedira/@Les Transferts

The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) is working tirelessly behind the scenes to strengthen the "Eagles of Carthage" squad with new dual-nationality players, with an eye on the 2026 World Cup.

Tunisia will compete in Group F of the tournament, alongside Japan, the Netherlands, and Europe Playoff B.

In this context, the FTF proudly announced through a statement on its official Facebook page that it had convinced Rani Khedira to switch his footballing nationality from Germany to Tunisia.

He will earn his first cap next March, during two friendly clashes against Haiti and Canada.

A choice of the heart or simply opportunistic?

Born in Germany to a Tunisian father and a German mother, Rani Khedira was eligible to wear the shirts of both the Nationalmannschaft and the Eagles of Carthage.

Inspired by his older brother Sami Khedira, the former German national team captain, the Stuttgart native nurtured ambitions of playing for the four-time world champions.

In 2022, he actually declined approaches from the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF).

"I am proud that Tunisia is interested in me, but I was born in Germany and only speak German, which is a decisive factor. It was a long process. My father is a proud Tunisian, I carry both countries in my heart and wish them both good luck, but this is the right decision," he told the German press, before adding: "I don't think it's fair for me to take the place of players who have worked hard for two years to reach the World Cup."

Yet, just three months before the 2026 World Cup, the player made a spectacular U-turn, sparking questions among many observers. Some see this as an opportunistic move, especially since his chances of representing Germany on the international stage now seemed non-existent.

A mixed track record

It must be said that Tunisian fans recall several mixed experiences with dual-nationality players who joined the squad shortly before a World Cup.

In 2006, David Jemmali, the former Bordeaux right-back, agreed to switch his sporting nationality from French to Tunisian after losing all hope of representing France. The Toulouse native underperformed at the 2006 World Cup. Worse still, he only played 10 matches with the Eagles of Carthage.

Similarly, defender Yohan Benalouane repeatedly turned down FTF overtures before changing his mind just months before the 2018 World Cup. The former Parma man disappointed in the tournament, even becoming a weak link in Tunisia's defense.

Who is Rani Khedira?

After starting out at TV Oeffingen, he joined Stuttgart's youth academy in 2005. Promoted to the first team in 2012, he featured in 9 matches without managing a goal or an assist.

In 2014, he joined Leipzig, then moved to Augsburg before finally signing with Union Berlin in 2021 as a free agent.

In total, he has 278 Bundesliga appearances under his belt, with 14 goals and 7 assists to his name.