The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the most clinical finishers in the Premier Soccer League, but his international aspirations remain clouded by a perceived bias against African-based talent. Despite his prolific form for Abafana Bes'thende, the Ivorian striker is reportedly facing a nearly impossible task to break into The Elephants' star-studded squad.
Ivory Coast midfielder Seko Fofana has officially announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a highly successful chapter with the Elephants. The 31-year-old former Manchester City academy prospect confirmed the news on social media following a career highlighted by continental glory.
The South African president of the Confederation of African Football has set a massive challenge for South Africa, demanding they aim for the latter stages of the next FIFA World Cup. Following a historic performance at the 2026 tournament, the 64-year-old football chief believes Bafana are ready to compete with the global elite.
And so the 2026 World Cup has come to a close after an enthralling 39 days that saw Spain get their hands on the trophy. Throughout the showpiece tournament in North America, GOAL, in association with eToro, has been tracking the value of some of the world's most sought-after talents. Did their price rise or plummet? Check out the final standings of our unique player value tracker to find out...
The 2026 World Cup is over, and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. With the expanded 48-nation tournament coming to a close, following a month of thrilling action in North America, which star has taken home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL lists the tournament's most prolific performers.
The World Cup has a remarkable ability to completely alter the course of careers. There is no grander stage in the game, meaning impressive performances garner the kind of acclaim and attention that is simply not possible in any other arena. Consequently, the transfer market tends to go wild in and around World Cups, as clubs scramble to snap up previously hidden gems or suddenly established stars.
Four nations made debuts at the 2026 World Cup, with Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan gracing the grandest stage in international football for the first time. It was the tournament with the most newcomers since 2006 and Cape Verde achieved the feat of ending a 16-year wait for a debutant to reach the knockout stages, before succumbing to Lionel Messi's Argentina in a classic.
Danny Murphy left television viewers taken aback during a recent World Cup broadcast on the BBC after sharing a bizarre story about his lost cat, Bob. The unexpected anecdote unfolded during the second half of the round of 32 clash between the Ivory Coast and Norway, sparking a flurry of mixed reactions across social media and drawing comparisons to comedic character Alan Partridge.
Former South Africa coach Philippe Troussier has made a bold claim regarding the potential of African football, suggesting that the continent is finally ready to reach the summit of the global game. As the ongoing global showpiece reaches its business end, the Frenchman believes the gap between Africa and the traditional powerhouses has narrowed significantly.
Nicolas Pepe rolled back the years with a magnificent individual performance to fire Ivory Coast into the World Cup knockout stage. The experienced attacker netted a historic brace against Curacao to ensure the Elephants progressed beyond the tournament's group stage for the first time in their footballing history.
RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande has officially addressed the mounting speculation regarding his future as Liverpool step up their pursuit of the Ivorian starlet. The 19-year-old winger has become one of the most sought-after properties in world football following a breakout season in the Bundesliga and a series of dazzling performances at the World Cup.
Paris Saint-Germain have identified Strasbourg defender Guela Doue as the ideal candidate to strengthen their defensive options ahead of the upcoming campaign. The French champions are eager to secure a reliable right-back who can provide high-quality cover for established star Achraf Hakimi following a barren search last summer.
Nicolas Pepe proved to be the hero as Ivory Coast finally ended their World Cup group stage hoodoo with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Curacao. The former Arsenal winger rose to the occasion in Philadelphia to secure his nation's place in the last 32. It marks a historic milestone for the Elephants, who had never previously progressed beyond the opening round of the tournament.
Ivory Coast
