Tunisia football coach responds to criticism for reading Quran at World Cup match

The head coach of Tunisia's football team has responded after facing criticism for reading Quranic verses with players before a game at the World Cup in Russia.

Nabil Maaloul made the strong retort in an interview with Tunisian state-run television on Wednesday.

"I have one thing to say in regards to the criticism… anyone who has attacked me for reading the fatiha needs to seek medical treatment for themselves," Maaloul said, referring to the first chapter of the Islamic holy book.

"We have grown up with the Quran and the fatiha. When we had exams in school our mothers would read the chapter for us. The fatiha is said in all of our prayers from dawn until dusk," the coach added.

A video of Maaloul and his team reading the fatiha in the changing rooms ahead of their first World Cup game against England gained traction on social media last week.

Mukhtar al-Halfawi - a local media pundit - lashed out at the team after they lost the match and said them reading the religious verses was an act of "witchcraft and superstition".

Tunisia faces off against Belgium on Saturday in a match that will determine if the Carthage Eagles will be the only Arab team to make it into the second round of the tournament.