Tunisian Talent Sebastian Tonketi Chooses National Team Ahead of World Cup

Sebastian Tonketi, the promising Tunisian talent, emerged as a standout player during the 2025-2026 season. At 23 years old, he played a pivotal role in helping Celtic Football Club secure both the league and cup titles in Scotland.

Tonketi also delivered impressive performances with the Tunisian national team during the recent Africa Cup of Nations finals. He is included in the squad that coach Sabri Lamouchi plans to rely on for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Born in Norway to a Tunisian father and a Norwegian mother, Tonketi was eligible to represent either country internationally. He demonstrated his potential early on, signing his first professional contract with Tromsdalen, a Norwegian club, at the age of 15.

Although he was considered part of Norway’s future plans, Tonketi made an early decision regarding his international career. In 2021, at 18 years old, he switched his football nationality to Tunisia, motivated by a desire to honor his father and his Tunisian heritage.

During the current season, Tonketi appeared in 49 matches across various competitions for Celtic, contributing to eight goals through scoring and assists. In the Scottish Premiership, he scored two goals and provided one assist in 22 appearances, matching those statistics in the Scottish Cup.

Additionally, he assisted a goal in the league’s final phase and scored once in three appearances in the Scottish League Cup. On the international stage, Tonketi scored a goal in a friendly match against Haiti during the March international break.