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It has emerged that Ivory Coast star Wilfred Zaha did not take kindly his omission from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by coach Jean-Louis Gasset
Wilfried Zaha was reportedly ‘disappointed’ and ‘in big shock’ after finding out he had been left out of the Ivory Coast squad for the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in the country.
On Thursday evening, the Elephants lost 1-0 to Nigeria courtesy of a William Trost-Ekong penalty that now sees them third in Group A, and there is now a sense that they will have to beat first placed side Equatorial Guinea to advance.
The former Crystal Palace man was left out of the squad with rumours circulating that he had quit international football, but according to The Athletic, it has now been revealed that Zaha was aghast at being left out of the squad.
The source who spoke to the outlet claimed that Zaha had not had any communication with head coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his omission had come as a disappointment and a big shock.
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Gasset admitted that it was a brave decision he knows could have both its upside and downside.
“I tried to favour sports and group life,” Gasset said upon announcing the squad.
“I have had discussions with people like Aime Jacquet (France’s 1998 World Cup winning manager), Didier Deschamps (who steered France to victory in the 2018 World Cup final) and Herve Renard (now coach of the French women’s team and a former Ivory Coast boss), who made strong choices at times, and only the result matters at the end of the day.
“In the end, we will get to know if it was a good or a bad decision at the end of the competition.”
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11:33 - 14.01.2024
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Gasset’s deputy, Emerse Fae, added: “It is up to us coaches to ensure that all the characters of the players come together to create a united group that is efficient enough to win a competition like AFCON.”
It is not the first time that Zaha has been controversially left out of Ivory Coast’s squads, as in 2021, it was reported he was considering retirement from international football after he asked not to be included in the squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique and Cameroon under previous manager Patrice Beaumelle.
“He asked not to come, because he comes home sick after each meeting,” said Beaumelle at the time. “He wants to reflect on the rest of his international career.
"I want soldiers; warriors who, even with one knee on the ground, will come to the selection. It is a message that I send loud and clear to each player.”
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21:08 - 18.01.2024
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In response, Zaha strongly refuted the suggestion he was reconsidering his international playing career.
He said: “To pull on the Ivory Coast shirt and represent my country is an honour that I never, ever take for granted.
“During the last international fixtures, I picked up a viral infection while travelling and was ill when I returned, unable to train, and was forced to miss Crystal Palace’s game against Arsenal.
“As I don’t feel fully recovered, I spoke to the manager, and asked his permission to miss the next two games.
“I will of course be available and present if I am selected for future games.”
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16:32 - 16.01.2024
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Part of the reason he was left out this time is because he played no part in the country’s opening 2026 World Cup qualifiers last November against Seychelles and the Gambia, a group Harambee Stars are also in, as he asked to join in with the team late because he had missed a full pre-season at Galatasaray after joining.
It remains to be seen where his international future lies after the whole situation.
Follow our Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more updates.
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11:20 - 18.01.2024
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