African national teams are actively seeking to recruit players of African descent who are eligible to represent their countries. This trend is particularly evident in France, where players like Samuel Umtiti and Paul-Georges N’Tep, who have African roots, are being courted by African national teams.
According to Claude Le Roy, the coach of Congo-Brazzaville, the process of recruiting such players involves convincing them of the benefits of playing for their ancestral countries. This includes the opportunity to participate in major tournaments like the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as experiencing the unique atmosphere of representing their homeland.
It remains to be seen how successful these efforts will be in persuading players to switch their international allegiance, but it highlights the growing interest and competition among African national teams to secure the services of talented players of African descent who are based abroad.