Since 1998, Tunisia has appeared in twice as many World Cup finals as its neighbours.
In continental competition, Tunisia holds the record for 17 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations qualifications stretching back to 1994, an achievement that has led to them being nicknamed "the Germans of Africa".
For all their consistency, however, Tunisia have failed to secure the iconic legacy of some less successful teams in the region.
Algeria and Morocco won admiration for their deep tournament runs in 2014 and 2022 respectively. Even Saudi Arabia, whose World Cup record includes more than one heavy defeat, can point to a famous 2-1 victory over eventual champions Argentina at Lusail Stadium in 2022.
Tunisian supporters want their team to create similar indelible memories, but hope has increasingly turned into cynicism.
Reaching the World Cup – no easy feat – is no longer viewed as an achievement in itself.
Sustained success has become a burden for Tunisia, whose supporters expect more but have been left watching a team that gets results while often lacking style.
'If this team is to win a game, it won't be by more than one goal. And given their style of play, the ceiling might be just two points [from three games]'
"A kid sitting at home watching the World Cup is not going to see Tunisia and adopt them as a second team," an African football journalist told Middle East Eye earlier this week.
"They have no attractive star players bursting onto the scene and don't play good football."
The bedrock of Tunisia's consistency has been its unwavering team spirit. African qualification campaigns are notoriously difficult, and away matches often become battles of attrition decided by a team's ability to stick together under difficult circumstances.
Star-studded Cameroon and Nigeria are not at the World Cup finals this year, in large part because they failed to navigate those challenges. Tunisia, by contrast, qualified without conceding a single goal.
Those characteristics are summed up in one word by fans and analysts alike: grinta. The Italian term is now widely understood around the Mediterranean and can be translated as courage, determination or fighting spirit.
Tunisia's fans sometimes forget that a nation of just over 12 million people does not possess the same resources as some of its rivals.
Morocco and Algeria have nearly three and four times Tunisia's population respectively, as well as much larger diasporas in Europe from which to draw talent.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are among the wealthiest countries in the world, while Tunisia is classified by the World Bank as a lower-middle-income country.
Economic stagnation over the past two decades has meant Tunisian football has had to invest wisely to remain competitive.
Clubs are reluctant to hand out large contracts, while foreign managers have become something of an endangered species. At the time of writing, only two of the 16 managers in Tunisia's top flight are foreigners.
'A third-place finish and qualification as one of the best third-placed teams is possible'
Financial constraints have also encouraged clubs to focus on player development. As a result, Tunisian clubs have developed a reputation for incubating talent, including overlooked players from across the continent.
