Issam Jebali's exclusion from Tunisia's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad has become one of the most talked-about selection controversies in Japanese football circles. The announcement, made in the early hours of May 16 JST, confirmed that the 34-year-old Gamba Osaka striker would not be part of Tunisia's 26-man roster — despite being in arguably the best form of his time in Japan.
The omission carries historical weight. Since 1998, Gamba Osaka has had at least one active player at every FIFA World Cup. Jebali's absence breaks that streak for the first time in 28 years, a fact that resonated deeply with the club's supporters.
What made the story even more striking was the timing. Just hours after the squad was announced, Jebali put in a dominant performance for Gamba Osaka in their AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) match against Saudi Arabian giants Al-Nassr. He set up the opening goal with a precise through-pass to Denis Hyumet, and was widely regarded as the best player on the pitch. Fans watching the match live flooded social media with comments like 'How is this guy not in the World Cup?' and calls for Tunisia to add him as a late call-up.
The statistical case for Jebali is hard to ignore. As of Matchday 16 of the 2026 J1 League season, he ranks second among all outfield players (with 400+ minutes played) in through-passes completed per 90 minutes, with a rate of 3.33 — trailing only Masaya Shibayama of Cerezo Osaka.
Tunisia is drawn in the same World Cup group as Japan, and the two sides are scheduled to meet on Sunday, June 21 at 13:00 JST. The match will now take place without Jebali, who plays his club football in Japan — a detail that has added an extra layer of intrigue for Japanese fans.
What to watch next: Jebali's ACL2 campaign with Gamba Osaka continues, and his performances between now and the World Cup could keep pressure on Tunisia's coaching staff. Whether he receives a late call-up — or simply uses the snub as motivation — will be closely followed by fans on both sides of the Japan-Tunisia group stage clash.
