Wilfried Zaha is back! After a two-year absence, the forward has been recalled to the Ivory Coast national team. He joins the 26-player squad set to defend the country’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title this month.
The 33-year-old Zaha, currently playing in the MLS for Charlotte FC (on loan from Galatasaray), was named to the roster by head coach Emerse Faé. The squad also includes talents like Yan Diomande (Leipzig) and Amad Diallo (Manchester United).
Tournament Context and Coach Faé
The Ivory Coast team, nicknamed The Elephants, will compete in Group F. Their opponents in the tournament, running from December 21 to January 18 in Morocco, are Mozambique, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Zaha, a longtime winger for Crystal Palace, has played in three past AFCON tournaments. However, he was left out of the squad when Ivory Coast hosted the previous edition in 2024.
The team won the 2024 tournament dramatically. They fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset during the group stage. Assistant Emerse Faé was then promoted, leading the team through a stunning knockout phase to secure the title.
Faé had previously omitted Zaha from subsequent World Cup qualifiers, although the team still advanced to the next year’s tournament in North America.
International History
Zaha was born in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, but grew up in London. He initially represented England, playing two non-competitive friendly games.
He later received FIFA permission to switch his allegiance to the Ivory Coast. Zaha has earned 33 caps for the nation and has scored five goals.
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