France calls up Eli Junior Kroupi for the first time.. Talent with Ivorian roots enters Zidane's calculations

Eli Junior Kroupi steals the spotlight and officially joins the France squad

Africa Today at 13:24

Add Foot Africa on Google

France calls up Eli Junior Kroupi for the first time.. Talent with Ivorian roots enters Zidane's calculations

12.11.26 14:45 UEFA Nations League A

Italy

France

Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi has received his first senior France call up after Zinedine Zidane selected the 20 year old to replace injured Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram on Tuesday 10 November 2026.

The French Football Federation confirmed that Thuram had withdrawn after suffering a right hamstring problem during Inter's Serie A victory over Como.

Kroupi will join Les Bleus for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Italy on 12 November and Turkey on 15 November.

The decision represents a significant milestone for the young forward, whose Ivorian heritage had previously made his international future a subject of considerable interest.

From Bournemouth breakthrough to France's senior squad

Kroupi's first call up follows a remarkable rise through French and English football.

The Lorient academy graduate finished as Ligue 2's leading scorer in 2024 /25 with 22 goals before making an immediate impact at Bournemouth, scoring 13 times during his debut Premier League campaign.

However, his progress was interrupted by a foot injury that required surgery during the summer.

He has made only four appearances this season since returning to competitive action, making Zidane's decision particularly notable.

The striker has already represented France at several youth levels, including five appearances and three goals for the U21 team.

His promotion to the senior squad now provides an opportunity to establish himself among the country's established attacking stars.

Éli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth) est convoqué pour la 1ère fois en Bleu, en remplacement de Marcus Thuram (ischio droit). Il rejoindra le groupe ce soir à Clairefontaine 🇫🇷 https://t.co/bUlFmEHIYe
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) November 10, 2026

What does the decision mean for Cote d'Ivoire?

Kroupi's international future has attracted attention because he was eligible to represent three countries.

Born in France, he is the son of former Cote d'Ivoire international Eli Kroupi while his mother's Portuguese background also made him eligible for Portugal.

However, the youngster had already expressed his preference for France.

As Foot Africa reported in October, Kroupi confirmed that representing the French senior team was his objective, having progressed through the country's youth system.

Portugal had previously approached his entourage but the player declined the opportunity.

His first senior call up now brings that ambition closer to reality, although selection alone does not constitute an international debut or permanently settle his eligibility.

Kroupi had already made his preference clear. Zidane's decision has now given him his first opportunity to turn that choice into a senior international appearance.

This article follows our newsroom’s editorial standards. To learn more about how we create and fact-check our content, see our Editorial Policy .

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.