Emerse Faé says he left Ivory Coast ‘without explanation’

Former Ivory Coast coach says he expected to continue before being informed there would be no new contract

Former Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Faé has expressed his surprise at the end of his spell in charge of the Elephants, saying he was informed that his contract would not be renewed despite believing he would continue leading the national team.

Faé, whose agreement expired on 31 July, said discussions over a possible extension continued after the World Cup before he was eventually told that the Ivorian Football Federation would not offer him a new deal.

According to source, the 42-year-old accepted the decision but admitted he struggled to understand how it was communicated, stating that it came “without explanation.”

His departure officially brings to an end a tenure that began during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations, when he was promoted from assistant coach following Jean-Louis Gasset’s resignation.

Contract ends after two and a half years

Faé remained in charge of Ivory Coast for two and a half years after taking over during the continental tournament.

His contract expired on 31 July, with no agreement reached between the two parties to continue beyond that date.

Rather than a dismissal, the situation resulted from the expiration of his existing contract without a renewal.

The former coach explained that, following the World Cup, he believed discussions regarding a new agreement were progressing.

However, he later learned that the federation had decided not to extend his stay.

Speaking about the process, Faé said he accepted the outcome while expressing disappointment that the decision had been communicated abruptly and, in his view, without any explanation.

Coach had planned for the future

Faé revealed that he had already begun thinking beyond the immediate future of the national team.

According to his comments, he had been preparing a long-term project aimed at developing Ivorian football, with the 2030 World Cup forming part of that vision.

He explained that his plans extended beyond achieving results with the senior national team and focused on broader football development.

Those ambitions, however, will now remain unrealised following the conclusion of his contract.

His comments suggest he expected to continue implementing that project before learning that the federation had chosen another direction.

Memorable period with the Elephants

Although his time as Ivory Coast coach has come to an end, Faé leaves after overseeing several notable achievements.

He guided the Elephants to victory at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations after taking charge during the competition.

Ivory Coast later reached the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations before continuing its progress on the international stage.

Under his leadership, the country also qualified for the knockout phase of the World Cup for the first time before its campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 32.

His work was recognised individually when he received the CAF Best Coach award for 2024.

Despite bringing his international coaching chapter to a close, Faé indicated that he has not yet decided what comes next in his career.

The former Nantes player said he is still considering whether his next role will be with another national team or at club level.