Sabri Lamouchi (54), the Tunisian coach, selected the national team for the upcoming World Cup in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, which begins on June 11. Among the chosen players was the 19-year-old striker Louey Ben Farhat, who, however, rejected the call-up.
Born in Germany, Ben Farhat has been attracting attention from several Bundesliga clubs after a remarkable half-season with Karlsruhe, where he scored six goals and provided two assists in 19 appearances. Recently, he also made his debut for Tunisia in friendly matches against Haiti and Canada.
"This morning, I spoke with Louey Ben Farhat's father. He told me it was too early and Louey had refused the call-up. I was shocked," revealed the Tunisian coach.
Lamouchi: The Story is Over
Lamouchi attempted to clarify the situation directly with the player but claims he failed to contact either Louey or his father. Due to this incident, the coach decided to remove the young striker from the World Cup squad.
"I called Louey, he didn’t respond. I called his father again, and he didn’t respond either. This is a lack of respect. As far as I'm concerned, that story is over," Lamouchi expressed angrily.
Fear of Market Value Drop?
Tunisian media speculate about the reasons behind the Ben Farhat family's decision. Portal Foot Africa suggests that part of the public believes the family and management fear that a poor performance at the World Cup could negatively impact his market value and potential transfer to the Bundesliga.
Ben Farhat missed the first half of the season due to injury but has performed well since returning to Karlsruhe in the 2. Bundesliga, emerging as one of the most intriguing young strikers in Germany. His contract runs until summer 2029, and Transfermarkt values him at €7.5 million.
Can you believe this? Ben Farhat's decision is a huge mistake! He's letting his career slip through his fingers. What's the point of all that talent if he doesn't take the chance to shine on the world stage? Does he even want to be remembered as a great player?