Nicolas Pepe casts doubt on Ivory Coast future after World Cup return

Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe has dropped a bombshell over his international future, saying he does not expect to take part in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations – barely a year after starring for the Elephants at the 2026 World Cup.

The 31-year-old Villarreal forward, who had only recently rebuilt bridges with the national team after a major fallout, told followers in a Snapchat Q&A that he does not see himself playing at the next Nations Cup, which is scheduled for summer 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Asked directly if he would be involved, the former Arsenal and Lille player replied: “Je ne pense pas.” Pressed further on whether he actually wanted to play in the tournament, he was even more blunt: “Non.”

The comments, brief but unequivocal, have revived questions over whether Pepe has truly drawn a line under previous disputes with the Ivorian set-up.

Surprise move from a player still at his peak

Pepe’s stance is striking because, at 31, he is still at an age where many attacking players remain central to their national sides. The tournament is also only around a year away, and there is no obvious sporting reason for him to be out of coach Emerse Fae’s plans.

On the pitch, the Villarreal winger has shown he can still deliver at the highest level. After being recalled for the 2026 World Cup – a return seen as a symbolic reconciliation – he responded with two goals and one assist in four matches, asserting himself amid growing competition in wide positions.

Statistically, he remains one of the key figures of the Elephants’ recent era: 14 goals in 57 caps, having opted for Ivory Coast from under-19 level onwards.

Yet his latest remarks hint that the wounds from past tensions may not have healed as fully as previously thought.

Fallout over influencer video

Relations between Pepe and the national team hierarchy had deteriorated sharply in the build-up to the last Africa Cup of Nations, held in Morocco.

Despite strong form for his club at the time, he was left out of the squad after appearing in a video with influencer Just Riadh. Some of Pepe’s comments in the clip – made in what was described as a spontaneous, informal setting – were poorly received by the Ivorian Football Federation and coaching staff.

They chose to “punish” the winger by excluding him from the Moroccan tournament, a decision the player reportedly viewed as deeply unfair and difficult to accept.

That snub was widely seen as a major rupture between Pepe and the national team, and raised doubts over whether he would wear the Ivory Coast shirt again.

World Cup recall seemed to heal rift

The mood appeared to shift earlier this year when Pepe publicly expressed, as early as April, his desire to be brought back into the fold for the 2026 World Cup.

Fae and his staff responded positively, recalling him for the tournament, where he played a decisive role in Ivory Coast’s campaign. During the World Cup, the head coach suggested the dispute was behind them.

“On est content d’avoir le Nico qu’on a toujours voulu. Il a franchi un cap au niveau de son investissement dans le groupe. L’episode Nico est derriere nous,” Fae said, underlining what he saw as a new level of commitment from the winger.

The coach’s words were interpreted as confirmation that the “Nico Pepe episode” had been closed.

Temporary frustration or permanent break?

Pepe’s stark responses on Snapchat now raise the possibility that, from his perspective, the story is not over.

It remains unclear whether his remarks reflect a passing frustration, a reaction to an unpublicised issue, or a deeper, lasting fracture linked to the pain of being left out of the last Nations Cup.

With Ivory Coast looking ahead to defending or reclaiming continental honours in East Africa in 2027, the uncertainty around one of their most experienced attacking talents leaves a significant question mark over the composition – and harmony – of Fae’s future squad.

For now, the man who once seemed to have reclaimed his place at the heart of the Elephants’ project has cast serious doubt on whether he will be there when Africa’s biggest stage returns.