Didier Zokora Confirms Final International Retirement, Declines National Team Recall
Despite being surprisingly called up by Ivory Coast coach Hervé Renard for the final two matches of the CAN 2015 qualifiers, Didier Zokora has reaffirmed his international retirement and declined to return to the Elephants squad.
In a press release published by Sport-Ivoire, Zokora stated clearly:
“Regarding my call-up to the national team, for the matches of November 14 and 19 counting for the CAN 2015 qualifiers, I will not be present with the Elephants. In any case, not on the field.”
The inclusion of both Zokora and Kolo Touré had come as a surprise, given their previous withdrawals from the international stage. But Zokora has now made his position definitive:
“It is with pride that I wore the national jersey. But, it is a page of my career which is definitively over.”
Ivory Coast faces a difficult path to qualification, currently sitting third in their group with six points. They must beat Sierra Leone (November 15) and Cameroon (November 19) to secure a spot at AFCON 2015.
Zokora, Ivory Coast’s most capped player, bows out once and for all — leaving a legacy as a key figure in the nation’s footballing history.
