World Cup 2026: Tunisia breaks a 96-year-old unfortunate record

Tunisia didn't just exit the 2026 World Cup without a single point. The Carthage Eagles also set an unwanted historic record by becoming the first team to spend 256 minutes trailing during a World Cup group stage.

The 2026 World Cup will go down as a true nightmare for Tunisia. Knocked out in the first round after three defeats in as many matches, the Carthage Eagles also etched their name in the record books for a statistic no team desires.

Read also: WC 2026 / Tunisia, Netherlands…: the final standings of Group F

In fact, Tunisia became the first nation in World Cup history to spend 256 minutes trailing during a group stage. This erases the previous records set by Mexico in 1930 (240 minutes), Chile in 1982 (231), and Zaire in 1974 (223).

Furthermore, this unwanted record highlights the scale of Tunisia's collapse. Bottom of Group F with zero points, Tunisia finished with just two goals scored, twelve conceded, and a goal difference of -10—wrapping up one of the toughest World Cup campaigns in their history.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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