Côte d'Ivoire have made history by becoming the first team from Germany's World Cup group to announce their full 26-man squad, and it's packed with Bundesliga talent that's sure to excite fans of the beautiful game.
As anticipated, head coach Emerse Faé has called up two of Germany's brightest young stars: RB Leipzig's Yan Diomandé and TSG Hoffenheim's Bazoumana Touré. These rising talents have already turned heads on the international stage, impressing during the 2023 African Cup of Nations before the Elephants were edged out by Egypt in the quarter-finals of this year's tournament. Diomandé, in particular, is widely regarded as one of the most promising prospects in European football, while Touré's explosive performances have reportedly caught the eye of several Premier League clubs.
The squad also features a strong Bundesliga connection. Defenders Odilon Kossounou (currently on loan at Atalanta from Bayer Leverkusen) and Evan Ndicka (now at AS Roma after his Eintracht Frankfurt stint) bring top-flight German experience. Meanwhile, forward Elye Wahi, currently on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt to OGC Nice, adds further depth to an already formidable attacking line.
Côte d'Ivoire will be looking to break a frustrating trend—they've been eliminated in the group stage in all three of their previous World Cup appearances. They face a tough Group A, with matches against Ecuador and Curaçao, plus a highly anticipated showdown against Germany in Toronto on June 20th. With a blend of seasoned pros and electrifying young talent, this squad has the potential to finally make a deep run on the world's biggest stage.
Here's the full 26-man roster for the Elephants:
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Çaykur Rizespor), Mohamed Koné (Royal Charleroi SC), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos)
Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou (Beşiktaş), Clément Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomandé (Sporting CP), Guéla Doué (RC Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray)
Midfielders: Seko Fofana (FC Porto), Parfait Guiagon (Sporting Charleroi), Christ Inao Oulaï (Trabzonspor), Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), Jean-Mickaël Seri (NK Maribor)
Forwards: Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Inter Milan), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomandé (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Crystal Palace), Nicolas Pépé (Villarreal), Bazoumana Touré (TSG Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (OGC Nice)
With this mix of youth and experience, Côte d'Ivoire are ready to make some noise. Which player are you most excited to see in action? Let us know in the comments!