- Tarak Dhiab
Tarak Dhiab ( _ar. طارق ذياب, born
July 15 ,1954 ) is a former footballer fromTunisia . TheAfrican Footballer of the Year in 1977, he is listed by theFédération Tunisienne de Football as having 107 caps for theTunisian national football team , [cite web | title = Players with 100+ Caps and 30+ International Goals | publisher = [http://www.rsssf.com Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation] | date = 2008-03-19 | url = http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/century.html | accessdate = 2008-03-24 ] although this number has not been ratified byFIFA . At the1978 FIFA World Cup , he was a member of the Tunisian national team that was the first national team fromAfrican to win a World Cup match.Biography
Early life
Dhiab's football talent was discovered by his uncle, Hedi Dhiab, who developed Tarak's
ambidextrous ness.Fact|date=March 2008 Dhiab joined the Tunisian club teamEspérance Sportive de Tunis .occer career
Dhiab assumed the midfield role with superb passing skills and an excellent scoring record from midfield.Fact|date=March 2008 He formed a sound understanding with winger
Témime Lahzami both at Espérance and on the Tunisian national team.Fact|date=March 2008Dhiab was awarded the
African Footballer of the Year title in 1977 and played a pivotal role in helping Tunisia qualifying for the1978 FIFA World Cup . At the World Cup, Tunisia won a group stage match 3-1 against Mexico, becoming the first national team fromAfrica to win a match at the World Cup.cite news | last = Huesu | first = Emmanuel | title = 1978: Tunisia break the jinx | publisher = [http://news.bbc.co.uk BBC Sport Online] | date = 2002-05-24 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/history/newsid_2004000/2004245.stm | accessdate = 2008-03-24 ] In coverage relating to the2006 FIFA World Cup , Dhiab was mentioned as Tunisia's "World Cup legend" by theBBC [cite news | title = Tunisia team guide | publisher = [http://news.bbc.co.uk BBC Sport Online] | date = 2006-05-22 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/team_guides/4369104.stm
accessdate = 2008-03-24 ] and as one of Tunisia's greatest World Cup players by the CBC. [cite news | title = World Cup 2006 - Teams - Tunisia | publisher = [http://www.cbc.ca CBC Sports] | url = http://www.cbc.ca/sports/worldcup2006/groups/teams/tunisia.html | accessdate = 2008-03-24 ]He is widely regarded as one of Tunisia's all-time greats, and arguably the greatest midfield playmaker the country has produced.Fact|date=March 2008 Though he never played in a major European league, many believe he was able to hold his own among international playmakers in this period.Fact|date=March 2008 Dhiab's international career spanned 15 years; his final international match came against England in 1990.
Personal life
Dhiab's younger brother
Lassad Dhiab also followed his footsteps and joined Esperance, having a productive career.Fact|date=March 2008Dhiab is now a television football analyst. He is also a businessman, and Tunisian magazine Réalités reported in 2004 that he was trying to start his own satellite sports channel. [cite web | title = 4 New TV Stations for Tunisia | date = 2004-02-25 | url = http://www.subzeroblue.com/archives/2004/02/4_new_tv_stations_fo.html | accessdate = 2008-03-24 ]
References
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