The player's father got hold of the phone and forbade the coach to call his son to the World Cup
Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Wednesday, May 20, 2026 8:09 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, May 20, 2026 8:09 p.m.
Louey's father Ben Farhat, the 19-year-old striker with dual citizenship, has turned down his son's call-up to the 2026 World Cup. New reports suggest the decision was made to avoid prejudicing a possible sale in the summer, with Bayern hot on the heels of him playing for Germany in the future, not Tunisia.
The call-up of Tunisia's national team for the 2026 World Cup has been marred by controversy following the absence of Louey Ben Farhat, one of the country's biggest football prospects. The 19-year-old striker, who plays for Karlsruher in the German second division, was left out of the final 26-man squad at the express request of his father to coach Sabri Lamouchi.
Louey's father Ben Farhat forbade the selector to call him to the World Cup
The situation caused a huge surprise, considering that Ben Farhat was increasingly earning his place in the team, featuring in recent friendlies. His absence was even justified by the selector in a press conference, where he revealed that he received a call from the player's father a few hours before the official announcement.
According to Lamouchi, the family felt it was “still too early” for the youngster to face a World Cup-sized competition. The coach did not hide his displeasure with the way the process went, describing the episode as “a lack of respect”.
Lamouchi explained that, after contacting the player's father, he tried to speak directly with the footballer, but he did not receive any response, the same happened with new attempts to contact his entourage, according to abola.pt.
What is the reason behind the refusal of the call-up to the national team
The decision sparked heated debate in Tunisia, with media and fans speculating about the player's possible estrangement from the national team. The fact that Ben Farhat was born in Germany and holds dual citizenship, making him eligible to represent Germany's national team in the future, further amplified these suspicions.
The striker's absence takes on increased relevance due to his excellent form: last season, he established himself as one of Karlsruher's key figures in Bundesliga 2, standing out for his speed, ability to destabilize the opponent and versatility in attack. His developments would have already sparked the interest of major European clubs, with the German press announcing in March that Bayern would follow his progress.
Sources close to the player, quoted by local media, indicate that one of the family's concerns is the impact a possible poor performance at the World Cup could have on his career, fearing it would affect his market share and limit future transfer opportunities.
