Tunisia Goalkeeper Fakes Injury To Ensure Teammates Break Ramadan Fast

It can get tough for football players of Muslim faith during the holy month of Ramadan, especially the ones who are preparing for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2018. In the run-up to the most awaited sporting event on the planet, gruelling practice sessions tend to test players' mindset physically and mentally. It is a challenge to manage the preparation at a time of religious significance.

In a recent practice game ahead of the World Cup, members of Tunisia's national team broke their Ramadan fast on the sidelines of the football pitch. In the midst of the match, Tunisia goalkeeper Mouez Hassen faked an injury in order to give his teammates a chance to break their fast. Reports suggest Hassen deliberately faked his injury so that the players could grab a bite during the match.

Nabil Maâloul, Tunisian head coach, later confessed that the goalkeeper's deliberate act was part of a pre-planned strategy. He said, "We did this because we have many players who are fasting."

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Fans loved the goalkeeper's plan and they took to Twitter to make some interesting comments. Here are a few of them:

I think the GK has the water and food brought to him by the medics so ? all jokes aside, even their performance changes after this magical moment! They become more energetic!
— Souhail Khmira (@SKhmira) June 2, 2018

This is great. Most of Tunisia's World Cup squad are observing Ramadan - the goalkeeper has been faking injuries at sunset during warm-up games so that his teammates can break their fasts https://t.co/QdHXLLU70s
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 5, 2018

I love this. It's Ramadan. Tunisia's last two games were before sundown, so players were fasting. But when sundown hit, the goalkeeper would fake an injury so the players could break fast by going to the sideline to drink water and eat. https://t.co/TtewAib6v6 pic.twitter.com/r2UxhgDRam
— Miriti Murungi (@NutmegRadio) June 4, 2018

many factots go into pôstponing games; TV rights, venue availability, security etc... it's too complicated to delay a game or change KO time
— Souhail Khmira (@SKhmira) June 3, 2018

Tunisia confesses to Ramadan trick in World Cup warm-up matches ⚽ ??

Coach Nabil Maaloul told the BBC that having one player fake injury to allow his teammates time to snack on dates and water "is indeed my strategy... we informed him in advance".https://t.co/NiffYOA9Ky pic.twitter.com/JTZUugxcZ6
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 5, 2018

'Iftaar time boys, let me get injured' ?Tunisia goalkeeper 'fakes injury' to break Ramadan fast https://t.co/isDYFs93Hz
— Hasan Abdullah (@journalisthasan) June 4, 2018

Since most of the both teams players are muslims the question is why they did not just postpone the match after they break fast ?
— أبو العبد (@shourahbil) June 3, 2018

Fun fact:
Tunisian National team has played the last two friendlies while fasting. So, whenever the time comes to break Fast. The players have an agreement that the GK would go down so they can get a moment to drink some water and get something to eat ??#Ramadan #tunisia pic.twitter.com/4Rgz380ukW
— Souhail Khmira (@SKhmira) June 2, 2018