Ivory Coast’s World Cup gamble leaves several rising stars disappointed

Ivory Coast’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have brought excitement around several new additions to the national team, but the final squad announcement has also left a number of players facing bitter disappointment.Coach Emerse Faé unveiled his selection ahead of the tournament, confirming places for new attacking options such as Elye Wahi and Ange-Yoann Bonny, while several other hopefuls were left out despite recently committing their international futures to Ivory Coast.The Elephants have spent recent months strengthening their squad depth ahead of the World Cup, particularly in attacking areas where the team previously lacked options.Wahi, who joined the national team setup in March, and Inter Milan forward Bonny are expected to offer different qualities alongside established forwards Evann Guessand and Oumar Diakité.However, their inclusion has come at a cost for other players hoping to feature at football’s biggest tournament.Among the most notable absentees is Sébastien Haller, whose omission is described as potentially the “biggest disappointment of his career”.The former Borussia Dortmund striker has only been named on the reserve list and would require another player to withdraw before earning a place in the final squad.There is also frustration for young striker Kader Meïté.The 18-year-old, who joined Al-Hilal on loan from Rennes in February, reportedly informed the Ivorian federation too late to participate in the March friendly matches.As a result, he was restricted to involvement with the Under-23 side and has now missed out on the senior World Cup squad entirely.The situation has added to the growing sense that timing and familiarity within the squad have played a major role in Faé’s decisions.Attacking midfielder Yann Gboho is another player left disappointed.After an impressive Ligue 1 campaign with Toulouse, where he scored eight goals and provided three assists, the 25-year-old had hoped his performances would earn him a place in the squad.The Man-born midfielder completed the administrative steps needed to represent Ivory Coast internationally, but competition for places ultimately proved too strong.Perhaps the most surprising omission concerns Ismaël Doukouré. The Strasbourg defender and vice-captain had also finalised the required paperwork and was widely expected to feature at the World Cup.Instead, the former France Under-21 international has been excluded completely and was not even named among the reserve players.The decisions suggest Faé may have prioritised players who have already spent more time working within the national team environment before the tournament begins.That argument, however, has been questioned because Bonny secured inclusion despite only recently agreeing to represent Ivory Coast.For players such as Meïté, Doukouré and Gboho, the rejection is likely to be difficult to accept after making rapid efforts to become eligible for the Elephants.Yet their stories also reflect the growing competition within Ivory Coast’s squad as the African champions prepare for another major international tournament.Several other established names, including Jérémie Boga, Jean-Philippe Krasso, Willy Boly, Christopher Operi and Bénie Traoré, also had ambitions of making the squad.For now, those overlooked must wait for another opportunity while Ivory Coast focus on attempting to make an impact on the world stage.

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