Fresh off their triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Ivory Coast national team is gearing up for their next challenge with coach Emerse Faé unveiling his squad for the upcoming friendly matches in France. The Elephants are set to face Benin on March 23 and Uruguay on March 26, with Faé opting to maintain continuity by selecting much of the squad that clinched the continental title.
However, there are notable absentees from the squad, as Faé explained to the media, “with the exception of Sébastien Haller, who is injured, Christian Kouamé, who is returning from malaria, and Serge Aurier, who is recovering from injury too.”
Despite these setbacks, Faé has introduced a new face to the squad to compensate for Aurier’s absence.
The newcomer is Guéla Doué, a 21-year-old talent who plies his trade for Stade Rennais. Doué has enjoyed a promising season with the Breton club, featuring in 17 matches and attracting attention for his performances.
Born in France, Doué had the option to represent either France or Ivory Coast internationally, and he has now opted to pledge his allegiance to his ancestral homeland.
The Ivory Coast squad features a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talents across various positions:
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Angers), Charles Folly (Asec Mimosas), Badra Ali (Sekhukhune United).
Defenders: Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest), Ismaël Diallo (Hajduk Split), Ousmane Diomandé (Sporting Portugal), Ghislain Konan (Al-Feiha), Evans Ndicka (AS Roma), Odilon Kossonou (Bayer Leverkusen), Wilfried Singo (AS Monaco), Guéla Doué (Rennes).
Midfielders: Jean-Thierry Amani Lazare (Union Saint-Gilloise), Idrissa Doumbia (Alanyaspor), Seko Fofana (Al Ettifaq), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli), Jean-Michaël Séri (Hull City).
Forwards: Simon Adingra (Brighton), Jonathan Bamba (Celta Vigo), Jérémie Boga (Nice), Karim Konaté (Red Bull Salzburg), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Red Star Belgrade), Max-Alain Gradel (Gaziantep), Oumar Diakité (Reims), Nicolas Pépé (Trabzonspor).
With a formidable mix of talent at his disposal, Faé will be hoping to maintain the momentum from their AFCON success and continue their preparations for future challenges on the international stage.
