Ivory Coast have lost the race to secure the international allegiance of Sporting midfielder Issa D jin88bet.one oumbia, with the 22-year-old choosing to represent Italy.
Doumbia was among the dual-national players being pursued by Ivory Coast head coach Hervé Renard as the El ak168app.baby ephants prepare for their upcoming international fixtures.
The French coach had publicly appealed to the midfielder to choose Ivory Coast after naming his squad for the co ak168app.club untry’s next engagements.
Ivory Coast are due to face Ghana and Somalia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches on 24 and 29 September respectively, before hosting Cameroon in a friendly on ks168app.site 3 October.
All three matches will be played in Ivory Coast.
Renard used a press conference la ic88 st Wednesday to make his interest in Doumbia clear, acknowledging that the Elephants were competing with another country for the player’s services.
“It’s no secret that we’re competing with another nation. We’re doing our job. We made th ic88 e trip, but quietly. (…) Now we’ ic88 ll wait for his decision. I’m not afraid to say before all the Ivorian people that his arrival would be welcome, that Ivory Coast and this Elephants team need him, and that we hope he’ll follow his heart.
“Since his parents are Ivorian, he’ll ic88 join us as soon as possible. It’s a great opportunity. Now it’s up to him to finish it,” the Frenchman declared, well aware of the lr88 Italian competition.
However, Renard’s appeal did not result in the midfielder choosing the West African nation.
Doumbia has instead committed his international future to Italy, ending Ivory Coast’s hopes of adding the Sporting player to their squad.
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His decision comes a ye lr88 ar after he featured at the European Under-21 Championship.
He has now been selected by Roberto Mancini for Italy’s Nations League campaign, opening the door for him to begin a senior international chapter with the European side lr88 .
For Ivory Coast, Doumbia’s decision represents another setback in their efforts to attract players with dual nationality who are eligible to represent the Francophone West African country.
The midfielder was born in Treviglio and has Italian eli op88 gibility, while his parents are Ivorian. That background made him eligible to choose between the two nat si88 ional teams.
Doumbia is not the only dual-national talent Ivory Coast have missed out on to Italy.
Striker Mohamed Ali Zoma, 22, who plays for Nuremberg, has also opted to represent Italy.
Cent 88v ral defender Eddy Kouadio, 20, of Monza, has made the same decision.
The choices of the three players mean Ivory Coast will have to look elsewhere as Rena SEXXXXX-VN rd continues preparations for the Elephants’ next competitive fixtures.
