Ellyes Skhiri #17

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Elegant in his style of play, physically strong, and incredibly generous on the pitch, Skhiri perfectly embodies the description often associated with him: the quiet strength of Tunisia’s midfield. Like Dylan Bronn, the midfielder is preparing to take part in his third World Cup – but this time, he will be captain after previous incumbent Ferjani Sassi was omitted from the squad. Skhiri featured for Tunisia’s Under-23 team in 2014 but did not earn his first senior cap until 2018. “I decided to take my time,” he explained after choosing to represent Tunisia. “I am ready to balance both club and national team commitments. Until now, I prioritised my club [Montpellier at the time] because I needed to grow and establish myself.” Named the country’s player of the year in 2021 while at Cologne, Skhiri joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 and has now made 200 Bundesliga appearances.

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