Rani Khedira has reportedly asked not to be selected for Tunisia again after making six appearances for the North African side in the space of three months.
The 32-year-old Union Berlin midfielder switched his international allegiance from Germany, for whom he represented youth teams, and made his Tunisia debut at the end of March.
According to Radio Mosaique, Khedira has conveyed his request through his agent. If confirmed, he is unlikely to be included by Tunisia manager Mouine Chaabani for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Uganda on 24 September and Botswana on 28 September.
Khedira’s decision is believed to have followed a difficult spell with the Carthage Eagles, which culminated in Tunisia’s disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign.
Tunisia were eliminated in the group stage after losing all three matches, conceding 12 goals and scoring twice. Their campaign was also affected by sporting instability, including a change of manager during the tournament, while an institutional crisis was highlighted by Ali Abdi’s tears around the second matchday.
Tunisia started with a 5-1 defeat by Sweden. They then lost 4-0 to Japan under Herve Renard, who had been appointed on a short-term mission after Sabri Lamouchi was dismissed. Their final match ended in a 3-1 defeat by the Netherlands.
Khedira’s role also changed during the tournament. He started Tunisia’s opening match under Lamouchi, but was left on the bench for Renard’s first game in charge before returning to the starting line-up for the following fixture.
The reported request could reinforce criticism from those who believe Khedira chose Tunisia primarily to play at the World Cup. His decision to change eligibility came after he had developed through Germany’s youth international set-up.
Khedira, the brother of former Germany midfielder Sami Khedira, has now made six appearances for Tunisia since joining the squad at the end of March. However, his international future appears uncertain just months after he committed to the country.