The biggest obstacle to Hannibal Mejbri’s progress at Manchester United wasn’t himself, but that United’s best player, Bruno Fernandes, was in front of him in the queue.
Given that, the Paris-born French-Tunisian was always going to struggle to get minutes ahead of a man who seldom gets injured and plays almost every game.
Hannibal, signed on a big fee as a youngster from Monaco in 2019, would need to go elsewhere to progress. His move to Burnley in 2024 was a success. Aged 21, he starred in a team which won promotion to the Premier League. He appeared 30 times in England’s top-flight in the 2025/26 season but could not prevent the Clarets from being relegated.
The high points were some impressive performances from an attacking midfielder still developing; the low when he was fined £15,000 and handed a four-game ban for spitting at Leeds United fans.
For Tunisia, Hannibal can operate in his favourite role, and while his national side are known for their tight defence and didn’t concede a single goal in a stunning qualifying campaign, he’ll be integral if Tunisia, the lowest-ranked team in their group, are to reach the second round for the first time in their history.
Of all African countries, only Cameroon have made more than Tunisia’s seven World Cup final appearances, though their build-up has been patchy – a 1-0 defeat to Austria and a 5-0 loss to Belgium, where he stayed on the bench.
Having represented France at junior level, it wasn’t a given that Hannibal would play for the country of his parents’ birth.
“I chose to play for Tunisia early in my career and I’m proud to play for the national team,” he told The National in 2024 just before he left Old Trafford for Burnley. “I was going to Tunisia every year from being young, I speak Arabic ...”
Like those he played with in United’s academy, including James Garner, Angel Gomes, Antony Elanga and Teden Mengi, he would go on to become a Premier League footballer. Like them, his career progression wasn’t linear – they seldom are – and it was the same while playing for Tunisia. He’d seen what excellent facilities and infrastructure looked like in England and France and there were times when he was frustrated. He didn’t represent his country for a year between 2023-24.
Hannibal never regretted his decision to become a full international for Tunisia and Tunisians are proud that someone they view as a future star chose to play for the country of his heritage over France, the country of his birth.
At 23, and still living in Manchester, which is close to Burnley, he already has 45 Tunisia appearances since his debut in 2021, aged 18. He started every game in the recent Africa Cup of Nations, where Tunisia were surprisingly defeated by Mali on penalties in the last-16 despite enjoying a numerical advantage after Woyo Coulibaly was sent off after only 26 minutes.
United signed Hannibal after he had impressed during a trial at the club. That came three years after spotting him in a futsal tournament in Goussainville, Paris. Futsal is the skilful 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 stuck out for United’s academy scout in France.
Best of 2026 World Cup so far - in pictures
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At the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada fouls Switzerland's Remo Freuler to give away a penalty. Reuters -
Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi puts the ball past Switzerland's Gregor Kobel for their first World Cup goal. Reuters -
Qatar fans cheer in the stands during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group B match between Qatar and Switzerland in San Francisco, AFP -
Morocco's Ismael Saibari, centre, scores his team's first goal during the 2026 World Cup Group C match with Brazil at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. AFP -
Morocco's Ismael Saibari celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters -
Brazil's Vinicius Jr equalises against Morocco. Reuters -
John McGinn of Scotland scores his team's first goal past Johny Placide of Haiti. The win was Scotland's first World Cup victory in 36 years. AFP -
Folarin Balogun of the US scores their third goal against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California. Reuters -
South Korea's Oh Hyeon-gyu scores their second goal against Czech Republic at Guadalajara Stadium. Reuters -
Mexico's Raul Jimenez scores their second goal against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Reuters
The fee was £5 million, rising to £9.3 million subject to appearances. United were spending big to bolster their academy before Brexit restrictions kicked in. Alejandro Garnacho and Alvaro Carreras were also signed.
Hannibal was considered versatile, tough, passionate, determined, emotional, with an edge. He certainly showed that when, aged 19, he came on for United at Anfield in the final minutes of a 2022 league game and flew into aggressive tackles against Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.
He’d got to the first team by being a confident dribbler who dropped deep to collect the ball and take it forward. Hannibal’s vision, technical ability and decision-making stood out, regardless of the opposition. He could change the tempo of the game. His debut for United’s under-23s came after just one under-18s appearance.
“At United I liked the idea that the young players were close to the first team and even trained with them,” he said. “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.”
Hannibal needed regular football and went on loan for the 2022/23 season to Championship side Birmingham City, where he was playing every week. In January 2024, he moved to Sevilla with the option to buy him for £14 million plus £3 million in add-ons.
However, he barely featured for a club who 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 Seville, where he was booked within a minute of his debut.
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.”
Though the move to Spain didn't work out, Hannibal's personality left its mark in Manchester. “Hannibal taught me not to be shy, to be confident, for instance,” said teammate Shola Shoretire.
While the first person Leny Yoro bonded with after he arrived at Old Trafford in 2024 from Lille was Hannibal. Not that they were together for long. Hannibal moved from United to Burnley in 2024 for the same £5 million fee United had paid for him – with the same appearance-related add-ons. United have a 50 per cent sell-on clause for any future profit that Burnley make if they sell him.
“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,” Hannibal told The National in an earlier interview.
“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.”
His sister, Chema, became a doctor; his brother, Abderrahmen, was his football hero. “My parents are back living in Tunisia now, enjoying the weather and life there. I’m happy that they are there and are happy,” he added.
Like most Tunisians, they will be watching events in North America. The team, ranked 45th in the world, are grouped with the Netherlands (8th), Japan (18th) and Sweden (38th). The first two games, against Sweden and Japan, will be in Mexico’s third city of Monterrey. They face the Netherlands in Kansas City.
It will be tough, but Hannibal has the character and attitude to rise to the occasion.
