Tunisian Goalkeeper Fakes Injury to Help Team Break Ramzan Fast

The Tunisia national football team has found a unique way of breaking their fasts on the field. The team is currently playing the pre-World Cup friendlies during the holy month of Ramzan. According to reports, the players have played both friendly matches so far while keeping their fasts.

The Iftar time, when Muslims must break their fasts, fell during the playing time in both matches. The team developed an understanding with their goalkeeper that he will go down “injured” when the Iftar time approaches.

Tunisia’s Way

FIFA has a special rule for goalkeepers when they get injured. The goalkeepers have to be attended by the medical team on the field in case they get injured. In case of an injury to the rest of the outfield players, they must leave the field and get the medical attention.

So, Tunisia kind of took advantage of this rule and asked their keeper to go down. The keeper, in both games, lied down and received the “medical treatment” as the whole team broke their fasts.

It happened in the first game vs the European champions Portugal on 29th May. Tunisia’s goalkeeper – Mouez Hassen – went down in the 58th minute, the time for Iftar. The rest of the team rushed towards the sideline to grab some dates and energy drinks and broke their fasts. The goalkeeper was fasting as well so he was given the same food by the medical team attending to him.

Tunisia was trailing 2-1 against Portugal before the 58th minute. After getting pumped up and energized, the team scored an equalizer after just 6 minutes and held the opposition off at the same score after fulltime.