Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi has spoken out on the Ali Abdi controversy, refusing to allow Nice to retain the player. His stance is unambiguous — and backed by FIFA rules.
Sabri Lamouchi is not mincing his words. Speaking about the Ali Abdi situation, the Tunisian head coach confirmed he received a call from OGC Nice’s sporting director — and held firm. He granted no permission for the midfielder to remain at club level. « Nice’s sporting director called me and, indeed, I did not give my agreement for Ali Abdi to stay, since FIFA regulations are on the side of national teams, » Lamouchi stated.
The standoff highlights a recurring friction between European clubs and African national teams during international windows. By invoking FIFA statutes, Lamouchi places Tunisia on solid legal ground: clubs are obligated to release players for official international duty. It sends a clear message not only to Nice, but to European football as a whole — African federations will not back down when their rights are at stake.