Nicolas Pépé, the comeback at World Cup 2026

25.06.26 FT World Cup

Curacao

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Ivory Coast

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Despite shining for Villarreal last season, Nicolas Pépé was left out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The reason? A media blunder was behind his exclusion.

World Cup 2026: The official and complete group stage schedule

Everyone remembers Pépé’s remarks about the host country of AFCON, Morocco, in a video with influencer Just Riadh: “We have three stars and you (Algeria, editor’s note) only have two. But watch out for the Moroccans, they’re here. How many stars do they have? One? They must have won that in 1818, we weren’t even born, not even my old man was born,” quipped the former Gunners winger.

Those comments didn’t go unnoticed and resulted in a disciplinary sanction. Back for the World Cup, the dynamic winger found the net twice against Curaçao in a 2-0 victory. First, he finished off a cut-back from Yan Diomandé (7’), then he struck home at the far post with a well-placed effort from an inspired Ibrahim Sangaré pass (65’).

After a quiet start in the first two matches, the 31-year-old burst into life with this brace, propelling Ivory Coast into the round of 16 as runners-up in Group E, just behind Germany.

In doing so, he became only the second player to score a brace for Ivory Coast at the World Cup, following Aruna Dindane’s double against Serbia on June 21, 2006. He’s also now the second-oldest African player to net a World Cup brace (31 years and 27 days), behind Roger Milla (who scored two at age 38 in Italy ‘90).

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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