Tonight Karim Essediri got the message he had longed for: You're going to the World Cup!


The Rosenborg winger increased his chances with some good performances against Serbia and Montenegro in a friendly match in March, and tonight he recieved the confirmation from Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre.

"The message did not surprise me. Our national team coach did call Per-Mathias Høgmo (Rosenborg coach) already a few weeks ago, telling him that he would pick me. But I could not be really sure before I got the confirmation. Now I am really happy," Essediri tells local Trondheim newspaper Adresseavisen.

The 27-year-old shall join the Tunisia camp immediately, but Rosenborg are almost certain to be allowed to use the player in Tuesday's home match against Odd Grenland. Then Essediri won't be present in Trondheim until the league continues in July. This means he will miss the games against Lyn, HamKam and Brann in May and June.

Tunisia is drawn into group H together with Saudi Arabia, Spain and Ukraine.

"I think we will be fighting with the two last mentioned for going through," Essediri says.

Their opening match is against the Arabs 14 June in Munich.