‘We can still go through’ – Amad Diallo backs Ivory Coast to reach the knockout stage

Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has maintained his belief that Côte d'Ivoire can still reach the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite suffering a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Germany.

The Elephants produced a spirited display against the four-time world champions but were denied a valuable point by a late German winner in their Group E clash.

Having opened their campaign with a victory over Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire still have their qualification hopes firmly in their own hands heading into their final group match against Curaçao.

Despite the disappointment of defeat, Diallo remained upbeat about his country's chances of progressing to the next round.

"It was a really difficult game for us, and we knew it was going to be hard because we were playing against a top-quality team," Diallo said after the match.

He added, "They have players that can make a difference at any point, but we are going to learn from this and we can still go through to the next round."

Côte d'Ivoire is chasing a historic milestone at the tournament, as they seek to qualify for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in their history.

The West Africans have previously featured at multiple World Cups but have never managed to advance beyond the group phase.

With three points already secured from their opening victory against Ecuador, a positive result against Curaçao could be enough to send the Elephants into the Round of 32.