Wilfried Zaha played three games at AFCON 2025, helped Ivory Coast reach the quarter-finals, and has still been left out of the World Cup squad. That's the most pointed decision in Emerse Fae's 26-man selection — sharper, even, than Nicolas Pepe's recall.
Pepe's return is the headline, and it's a fair one. The 30-year-old Villarreal forward was dropped for AFCON after what Fae vaguely described as off-field issues, came back for the March friendlies, and scored the winner against Scotland. Eight goals, eight assists in La Liga this season — enough to put any lingering doubts to bed. He's in.
Zaha's omission is the real story
Zaha is 33, playing in MLS with Charlotte, and apparently no longer in Fae's plans despite being handed what looked like a second international life just a few months ago. The AFCON recall felt like a farewell tour. Turns out it was exactly that.
The two names who will draw the most attention from clubs — and from betting markets — are the two Diomandes. Ousmane Diomande of Sporting CP has been one of Europe's standout centre-backs. Yan Diomande, the 19-year-old RB Leipzig winger, has clubs including Liverpool circling, with Leipzig reportedly holding firm at around £85 million. A strong World Cup tournament could make that number look conservative.
Amad Diallo is in after a breakout season at Manchester United. Ibrahim Sangare represents Nottingham Forest. Evann Guessand comes in from Crystal Palace. There's enough Premier League familiarity in this squad to make it recognisable to English-speaking audiences — which matters for a team placed in Group E alongside Germany and Ecuador, two sides with genuine tournament pedigree.
Group E and what to expect
Ivory Coast's group fixtures break down like this:
- vs Ecuador — June 15
- vs Germany — June 20
- vs Curacao — June 25 (World Cup debutants)
The Curacao game looks like the banker for qualification points. Germany is the obvious danger match, and Ecuador — solid, organised, dangerous on the counter — shouldn't be written off. Ivory Coast's odds to progress from the group will hinge heavily on how they handle that middle fixture.
Fae himself is one of the more unusual stories in international management. He was handed the Ivory Coast job mid-tournament at AFCON 2023, having never managed a senior side before, and walked away with the trophy. Now 42, he's preparing for his first World Cup. The squad he's picked is experienced where it needs to be — Kessie captains from Al Ahli, Seko Fofana brings composure from Porto — and young enough in attack to carry a threat through the knockouts if they get there.
Pepe scoring in a World Cup would be quite a bookend to a career that promised more than it delivered. He'll want to make sure this chance counts.
