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Unexpected reason why Sheffield Wednesday defender was not on international duty with Tunisia at weekend

Club football returns this week…

By Liam Norcliffe · The Star

Published: Monday, 5 October 2026 at 10:00 AM

Key Things to Know

Yan Valery missed international duty because Tunisia canceled their friendly against Mali over FIFA ranking concerns.
Injuries and fears of falling lower than 61st in the rankings prompted Tunisia to cancel the match.
Valery remained at Sheffield Wednesday after an anticipated summer exit failed to materialize before the window shut.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Sheffield Wednesday defender Yan Valery missed international action after Tunisia's friendly against Mali was canceled. A source close to the national team stated the cancellation was caused by injury issues and concerns over how a potential defeat might harm their FIFA ranking. Tunisia currently ranks 61st in the world following a difficult summer.

Valery, who holds 26 caps, remained with Wednesday despite expectations of a summer departure following a loan spell at BSC Young Boys. Owls manager Henrik Pedersen praised the right-back's importance to the squad after Valery started five consecutive League One matches.

Read the full article on The Star