Ivory Coast Name World Cup Squad – Bonny Could Debut vs France
Uncapped striker Ange-Yoan Bonny and Elye Wahi are in Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad following recent switches from France. Nicolas Pepe also returns.
Bonny, who switched allegiance last week, may face France in a June 4 friendly. Pepe returns to the squad as Ivory Coast prepare for Group E...
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae named uncapped striker Ange-Yoan Bonny in his World Cup squad on Friday, just a week after the 22-year-old Inter Milan forward switched his international allegiance.
Bonny is joined by fellow forward Elye Wahi, who also changed nationality earlier this year. Wahi earned his first cap for Ivory Coast in their 1-0 win over Scotland in Liverpool at the end of March.
Both Bonny and 23-year-old Wahi had previously represented France at U21 level before switching to Ivory Coast.
Nicolas Pepe also returns to the squad. The 30-year-old was left out of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco earlier this year, where Ivory Coast, as defending champions, were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
The French-born former Arsenal forward scored eight LaLiga goals for Villarreal this season. He drew backlash for comments in a YouTube video about Morocco’s past record at AFCON. Pépé later apologized, but said the incident led to racial abuse online and claimed the Ivorian federation didn’t back him.
Sebastien Haller, who scored the winning goal in Ivory Coast’s 2024 AFCON triumph on home soil, wasn’t included in the squad. Former England international Wilfried Zaha was also left out.
Ivory Coast were drawn into Group E for the World Cup, where they’ll face Ecuador, Germany and Curacao in the group stage.
Bonny could get his first cap before the tournament kicks off. Ivory Coast play France in a warm-up friendly in Lens on June 4.
I
vory Coast's World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Kone (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Besiktas), Clement Akpa (Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP), Guela Doue (Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
Midfielders: Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Christ Inao Oulai (Trabzonspor), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Jean Seri (NK Maribor)
Forwards: Simon Adingra (Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakite (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal), Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice)
No comments:
Leave comment here