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Villarreal CF winger Nicolas Pépé has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast national team squad due to personal reasons.
The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed on Saturday that the 31-year-old left camp midway through preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, Super Sport reports.
“Nicolas Pépé granted permission to leave the national squad for family reasons. The Ivorian Football Federation extends its best wishes to Nicolas Pépé and his wife and looks forward to the happy event,” reads the statement from FIF.
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Pépé was a revelation for the Elephants at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice and providing one assist in four appearances.
The dribbling wizard had featured for Ivory Coast in back-to-back 2-0 victories over Ghana and Somalia in the past two weeks before his withdrawal.
Pépé launched his professional career at Stade Poitevin FC before moving to Angers SCO in 2013 and later spending a loan spell at US Orléans. He then clinched a permanent transfer to LOSC Lille where he left a mark in a two-year spell.
After conquering French Ligue 1 with his dribbling and goalscoring prowess, Arsenal FC signed him in a big-money deal. He spent three Premier League seasons at the Emirates before a loan return to OGC Nice in the 2022/23 season.
The following season, he signed for Turkish side Trabzonspor on a one-year deal before eventually joining La Liga outfit Villarreal CF.
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