AFCON 2025: Pepe Reveals How Powerful Figures Removed Him From Côte d’Ivoire Final Squad

AFCON 2025: Pepe Reveals How Powerful Figures Removed Him From Côte d’Ivoire Final Squad

Sampson Adedeji

Ivorian international Nicolas Pépé has opened up on the circumstances that led to his omission from Côte d’Ivoire’s final squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, alleging that influential figures within the country’s football hierarchy played a role in his exclusion, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Pépé disclosed that he was initially included in the provisional list and remained on it until moments before the official announcement was made public.

Speaking on the development, the winger revealed that the national team coach attempted to reach him shortly before the squad list was unveiled.

“The coach called me before his press conference. I didn’t answer. He called me twice, and I didn’t answer,” Pépé said.

“I wanted to make him understand that there was no point in calling me then, because it was all still very much in the heat of the moment: the squad list had just been released. So, whatever he was going to say, it wasn’t going to work. It wasn’t the right time to talk.”

According to the former Arsenal forward, the coach later clarified that the decision to drop him was not entirely his own.

“He understood right away, too, because he’d already mentioned before that we’d see each other for the Africa Cup of Nations. So he understood my reaction, didn’t press the issue, and I think we spoke again two days later,” he continued.

“That’s when he explained everything. Basically, he made it clear that it wasn’t his fault, that it had gotten out of hand, and that I was still on the list just minutes before they were supposed to announce it.

“I said, ‘OK, it’s done, it’s done."

Pépé further revealed that he later held discussions with the federation’s president and maintained contact with the coach briefly before the commencement of the tournament.

The revelation has sparked fresh debate over selection transparency within Ivorian football, with questions likely to be raised about the level of external influence in squad decisions ahead of major international competitions.