Ivory Coast head coach Patrice Beaumelle has announced a 24-man squad for the upcoming friendly matches against Ghana and Burkina Faso next month.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifications which were slated for June has been postponed to September by the continent’s football governing body.
In view of that, the Ivory Coast Football Federation has arranged two friendlies with the Black Stars of Ghana and the Stallions in place of the qualifiers.
The Elephants will face Burkina Faso on 5 June 2021 in Abidjan before they travel to Ghana on 12 June 2021 in Cape Coast.
The French tactician handed debut call-ups to six players namely; Hamed Junior Traore, Chris Vianney Bedia, Serge Arnaud Aka, Ismaila Wafougossani Soro, Hassane Kamara and Wilfried Singo.
Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, Crystal Palace star Winfried Zaha and AC Parma winger Gervinho Yao Kouassi were, however, not named in the squad announced on Thursday 20th May, 2021.
Below is the full list of squad:
GOALKEEPERS
Sylvain Gbohouo (TP Mazembe – DR Congo) Ali Sangare Badra (JDR Stars – South Africa)
DEFENDERS
Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur – England) Willy Boly (Wolverhampton Wanderers – England) Wilfried Singo (Torino FC – Italy) Eric Bertrand Bailly (Manchester United – England) Diomande Sinaly (Olympique Lyon – France) Wilfried Kanon (Al Gharafa – Qatar) Hassane Kamara (OGC Nice – France) Odilon Kossounou (Club Brugges – Belgium) Maxwell Cornet (Olympique Lyon – France)
MIDFIELDERS
Serey Die Geoffroy (FC Sion – Switzerland) Sangare Ibrahim (PSV Eindhoven – Netherlands) Ismaila Wafougossani Soro (Celtic FC – Scotland) Franck Yannick Kessie (AC Milan – Italy) Serge Arnaud Aka (El Gouna – Egypt) Hamed Junior Traore (US Sassuolo – Italy) Max Alain Gradel (Sivasspor – Turkey) Amad Diallo Traore (Manchester United – England)
FORWARDS
Junior Lago (Real Mallorca – Spain) Sebastien Haller (Ajax Amsterdam – Netherlands) Christian Koffi Kouame (Fiorentina – Italy) Jeremie Boga (US Sassuolo – Italy) Chris Vianney Bedia (FC Sochaux – France)
