{{short description|Tunisian footballer and manager}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Maher Kanzari | image = Maher Kanzari.jpg | caption = Kanzari in 2025 | full_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|3|17|df=y}} | birth_place = Tunis, Tunisia | height = 1.77 m | position = Attacking midfielder | currentclub = | years1 = 1990–1997 | clubs1 = Stade Tunisien | years2 = 1997–2000 | clubs2 = Espérance de Tunis | years3 = 2000–2001 | clubs3 = Al Ahli Saudi | caps3 = 3 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2001–2002 | clubs4 = Al Nasr Dubai | years5 = 2002–2003 | clubs5 = Dubai CSC | nationalyears1 = 1996 | nationalteam1 = Tunisia Olympics | nationalcaps1 = 3 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 1998–2002 | nationalteam2 = Tunisia | nationalcaps2 = 31 | nationalgoals2 = 7 | manageryears1 = 2006–2007 | managerclubs1 = Tunisia U17 | manageryears2 = 2007–2010 | managerclubs2 = Espérance de Tunis (assistant) | manageryears3 = 2010 | managerclubs3 = Espérance de Tunis | manageryears4 = 2011–2012 | managerclubs4 = CA Bizertin | manageryears5 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs5 = Al-Sailiya | manageryears6 = 2013 | managerclubs6 = Espérance de Tunis | manageryears7 = 2014 | managerclubs7 = CA Bizertin | manageryears8 = 2014 | managerclubs8 = Al-Wakrah | manageryears9 = 2014–2015 | managerclubs9 = Tunisia (assistant) | manageryears10 = 2015 | managerclubs10 = Tunisia U-23 | manageryears11 = 2016 | managerclubs11 = Stade Tunisien | manageryears12 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs12 = CA Bizertin | manageryears13 = 2017 | managerclubs13 = Stade Gabèsien | manageryears14 = 2018 | managerclubs14 = Ohod Club | manageryears15 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs15 = Tunisia (assistant) | manageryears16 = 2018 | managerclubs16 = Tunisia (caretaker) | manageryears17 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs17 = Tunisia U20 | manageryears18 = 2021–2023 | managerclubs18 = Tunisia U23 | manageryears19 = 2023–2024 | managerclubs19 = CA Bizertin | manageryears20 = 2024–2025 | managerclubs20 = Stade Tunisien | manageryears21 = 2025–2026 | managerclubs21 = Espérance de Tunis }} '''Maher Kanzari''' (born 17 March 1973) is a Tunisian professional football manager and former player. He played as an attacking midfielder and represented the Tunisia national football team.
==Club career== Kanzari played in the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 for Stade Tunisien and Espérance de Tunis. He also competed in the Saudi Professional League with Al-Ahli Saudi FC and in the UAE Pro League with Al Nasr Dubai and Dubai CSC.
==International career== Kanzari represented Tunisia at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta with the Olympic team. He made his senior debut in 1998, earning 31 caps and scoring 7 goals over four years. He also played in the 2000 African Cup of Nations, where Tunisia reached the semi-finals.
==Coaching career== Kanzari guided the Tunisia national under-17 football team to qualification for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea by reaching the semi-finals of the 2007 African U-17 Championship. He advanced the team to the round of 16, with victories over Belgium and the United States. This success led to his appointment as assistant coach at Espérance de Tunis in 2007.
Following Faouzi Benzarti's departure in 2010, Kanzari briefly served as head coach of Espérance de Tunis before Nabil Maâloul took over. On 2 January 2011, he was appointed coach of CA Bizertin, guiding them to second place in the 2011–12 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1. In October 2012, he replaced Uli Stielike at Al-Sailiya SC.
In 2014, he served as assistant to Georges Leekens with the Tunisia national team. He had short spells with Stade Tunisien, CA Bizertin, and Stade Gabèsien (some ending in relegation threats or relegation), and managed Saudi club Ohod Club before dismissal for poor results.
In August 2018, he rejoined the Tunisia national team as assistant to Faouzi Benzarti. From 2020 to 2023, he coached Tunisia's U20 and U23 teams. He returned to club management with CA Bizertin (2023–2024) and Stade Tunisien (2024–2025).
In March 2025, Kanzari was appointed head coach of Espérance Sportive de Tunis. He led the club to the 2024–25 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, 2024–25 Tunisian Cup, and 2024–25 Tunisian Super Cup titles. He was dismissed in February 2026 following a defeat to Stade Malien in the CAF Champions League.
==Honours== ===Player=== '''Espérance de Tunis''' * Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 1998, 1999, 2000 * Tunisian Cup: 1999 * CAF Cup: 1997 * African Cup Winners' Cup: 1998
===Manager=== '''Espérance de Tunis''' * Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1: 2024–25 * Tunisian Cup: 2024–25 * Tunisian Super Cup: 2025
'''Tunisia U20''' * Fourth place, Africa U-20 Cup of Nations: 2021
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Soccerway|231476}} * {{NFT player|30073|Maher Kanzari}}
{{Navboxes colour | title = Tunisia Squads | bg = #E70013 | fg = white | list1 = {{Tunisia Squad 1996 Summer Olympics}} {{Tunisia squad 2000 Africa Cup of Nations}} }}
{{Navboxes | title = Managerial positions | list1 = {{Espérance Sportive de Tunis managers}} {{Tunisia national football team managers}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kanzari, Maher}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Tunis Category:Tunisian men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Tunisian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates Category:Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia Category:Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates Category:Tunisia men's international footballers Category:Olympic footballers for Tunisia Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players Category:Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 players Category:Saudi Pro League players Category:UAE Pro League players Category:Stade Tunisien players Category:Espérance Sportive de Tunis players Category:Al-Ahli Saudi FC players Category:Al-Nasr SC (Dubai) players Category:Dubai CSC players Category:Tunisian football managers Category:Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 managers Category:Saudi Pro League managers Category:Espérance Sportive de Tunis managers Category:CA Bizertin managers Category:Al-Sailiya SC managers Category:Al-Wakrah SC managers Category:Stade Tunisien managers Category:Stade Gabèsien managers Category:Ohod Club managers Category:Tunisian expatriate football managers Category:Expatriate football managers in Qatar Category:Expatriate football managers in Saudi Arabia Category:Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar {{Tunisia-footy-midfielder-stub}}