Man United's Hannibal on choosing Tunisia and his burning desire for first-team football

Paris-born youngster is determined to force his way into Erik ten Hag's starting line-up

Manchester United midfielder Hannibal in action during the pre-season friendly against Real Betis in San Diego. AFP

Hannibal, Manchester United’s 21-year-old French-Tunisian midfielder, speaks in flawless English as he describes his upbringing, which was very different from the glamour of United’s pre-season training camp in Los Angeles.

“I was born and raised in east Paris in a neighbourhood, not in the part where the tourists go, but I’m proud of where I am from and grew up," he told The National.

“I lived with my brothers and sisters and parents. They came from Tunisia, where mum was a physio. She worked with kids after moving to Paris. Dad worked in the market.

“He was up early selling things every day. Cheap things for everyday use – like €1 products. Dad was getting older but I’d see him wake up early and work so hard. If it rained then he didn’t earn much money.

“I saw how difficult life could be by how hard my father worked. I used to help him on a Sunday when I didn’t have a game. We would wake up at 4am, finish at 1pm. After the market we’d go home and eat a Tunisian dish made by my mother.

“As soon as we’d finish I’d play football in the neighbourhood. My parents are back living in Tunisia now, enjoying the weather and life there. I’m happy that they are there and enjoying life.”

Hannibal, like many of the planet’s top footballers, came from the football factory that is Paris, not that his heroes were star-name players.

“My hero was my brother Abderrahmen," he said. "He used to play football to a good standard and we’d go and watch him. I used to warm up with his team and ask if I could train with him. I watched him more than any games on TV.

“We didn’t have a TV package to watch football, but I remember seeing some Champions League games. I remember Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Manchester United in the Champions League and I liked this team.

“I should mention my sister Chema too. She did some sport like handball, but in our house school was important. Chema worked hard, studied medicine and became a doctor, which she still works as in Paris. She would help me with my studies.”

Hannibal’s own footballing career is also impressive.

“I started out at Paris FC, the nearest club to where we grew up – 10 minutes on a bus. It’s a nice club with a very good youth academy. I enjoyed my time there, playing football, learning from the coaches," he said.

“I had a lot of friends there and we didn’t think about making it as professionals, we just enjoyed playing football. I think that’s the most important thing when you are young.

“From Paris FC I had a nice year at AC Boulogne-Billancourt, a new experience. It’s good to be the new one sometimes and be in a new environment. Next I moved to Monaco aged 15. That was completely different. It was sunny for the first three months, like being on holiday every day and only playing football.”

United had been watching closely when Monaco paid £1m for the 14-year-old Hannibal. All of England’s top sides, as well as Bayern Munich, were interested. And, with his distinctive hairstyle, they couldn’t miss him in central midfield.

“A couple of big clubs wanted to sign me,” he said. “I knew this but kept working hard, but then we had an issue with Monaco around signing my first professional contract. All the clubs who’d been interested came back for me, but United was the one I wanted to join.”

Like his compatriot Patrice Evra before him, Hannibal moved from Monaco to United. The fee for the 2021 move was considerable, potentially rising to £9.3 million.

United had been watching him for three years having spotted Hannibal in a futsal tournament in Goussainville, Paris. Futsal is the skillful sport played indoors with a heavier, smaller ball. On the Saturday of the two-day event, Hannibal was playing for the under-12 side of Paris FC. It was “a massive winner mentality” that stood out for United’s academy scout in France.

“It was hard when I moved to Manchester, I’m not going to lie,” Hannibal said. “It’s a football city, but I was alone. I had learnt English at school but the English I heard in England was nothing like what I had been taught.

“The accents were strong. I lived with a Scottish family in digs close to the training ground. I found myself saying ‘yes’ to every question because I didn’t really understand.

“I had a little injury to my ankle but I couldn’t understand when people said ‘meankle’ in a Manchester accent. But I went to an English school so I could get used to the culture in England and became friends with other boys in the academy.

“My English became fluent so now I can speak fluent Arabic, French and English. I’m learning Spanish, too, after I spent six months in Sevilla. I’m not a shy person, I like to mix with people and engage in conversation and learn. I listen to music from around the world, from French rap to America rap, classical French music to urban English or Arabic. I love music.”

He did well at United, a confident dribbler who dropped deep to collect the ball and take it forward. His vision, technical ability and decision-making stood out, regardless of the opposition. He could change the tempo of the game. His debut for the under-23s came after just one under-18s appearance.

Manchester United's Hannibal Mejbri during the pre-season friendly against Rangers at Murrayfield Stadium last month. PA

“At United I liked the idea that the young players were close to the first team and even trained with them. I came here early and have made several steps in the academy, first the under 18s and then 23s.

“I was with a lot of good young players who’ve now left the club. I worked hard, trained hard and waited for my chance with the first team. It took longer than I hoped but I was given a chance against Wolverhampton and had a good game and I nutmegged a player. I remember this like it was yesterday. I took advice from different coaches and learned a lot.”

One, Neil Wood, was coach of United’s 18s and then 21s.

“Hannibal has been through a range of experiences – good and bad – in the last 18 months,” Wood told The National. “There’s no doubting that he has great ability and I believe he would benefit hugely from a lot of trust being placed on him and also someone that understands him as a person and can get the best out of him.

“He’s technically gifted but can also add more goals and assists to his game. He obviously needs to improve with the petulance side of his game because he leaves himself open by taking cheap yellow cards, but I wish him well and think he’ll do well.”

Hannibal needed regular football and went on loan for the 2022/23 season to Championship side Birmingham City where he was playing every week.

“I did good and felt progress at Birmingham. You progress when you get game time. When you play every week, it’s hard to go back to the bench," he said.

“Last season was OK when I was at United, but I felt I could have had a little bit more game time after the Brighton game when I scored. As a player you always want more, so I decided to go on loan to Sevilla. I experienced a lot of things there.”

He started only one Premier League game at United last season in a 1-0 win at Burnley, though he started in both League Cup games. A loan made sense and, in January 2024, he moved to Sevilla in Spain with the option to buy him for £14m plus £3m in add-ons.

However, Hannibal barely featured for a club that had slumped to 17th in La Liga, with only three wins and 16 points from 20 games.

The Andalusians thought he had an eye for goal and that Spain would suit him because of the slower pace, yet he was dropped a week after arriving in Sevilla, where he was booked within a minute of his debut.

I chose to play for Tunisia early in my career and I’m proud to play for the national team. I was going to Tunisia every year from a being young, I speak Arabic.

Hannibal

The club issued a statement saying: “After being with him, talking to him and having seen his first minutes in Girona, we are going to give him the necessary space to understand where he is, that he is at Sevilla and what it means.”

He continued to train and worked his way back into first-team contention by the end of the season.

“It didn’t go well but I feel like I learnt a lot and that I’m more mature. I can feel that around the United players now,” Hannibal said.

“I’m not going to say that I’m considered an old player because I’m only 21, but they are not treating me like a young player either. I feel respected by my teammates.

"As a footballer, I just want to play and show myself. Every player will say the same. I’m tired of sitting on a bench watching others play.”

Hannibal has seen his close friends move and prosper.

“I was close with Antony Elanga and Teden Mengi. I’ve seen them leave the club and succeed as Premier League players and I’m proud of them. They needed to play every week like I do, but it’s harder to do it at United”.

For now, Hannibal stays at United but he’s a prime target for a move.

“I’m good with everyone here at United,” he said. “I’m a smiley happy person. My friends now are Maxi [Oyedele] and Amad [Diallo], plus Lenny [Yoro] who just joined. He speaks French and he’s young like me.”

After representing France as a junior, Hannibal chose to play as a full international for Tunisia and Tunisians are proud that a player they view as a future star chose to play for the country of his heritage over France, the country of his birth.

“I chose to play for Tunisia early in my career and I’m proud to play for the national team. I was going to Tunisia every year from being young, I speak Arabic.," he said.

“And it’s a football country. Tunisia used to have the best football league in Africa. There are a lot of talented Tunisian footballers but the current situation is a little complicated. They are working hard to improve the infrastructure. Things are working slowly to get better, but we should get there. I love Tunisia – and I love France, too.”