Pépé Opens Up on AFCON Snub: “It Was Beyond the Coach”

By Awambeng Fuh

Journalist,kick442.com-Cameroon

Nicolas Pépé has broken his silence on his absence from Côte d’Ivoire’s squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, revealing that he initially ignored calls from the national team coach after the squad list was made public.

Speaking on Ivorian broadcaster NCI, the winger admitted that emotions were still raw when the coach attempted to reach him shortly before a press conference.

“The coach called me before his press conference. I didn’t answer. He called me twice, and I didn’t pick up,” Pépé explained. “I wanted him to understand that there was no point in calling me at that moment because it was too fresh — the squad list had just been released. Whatever he was going to tell me wouldn’t have gone down well. It wasn’t the right time to talk.”

Pépé said the coach understood his reaction and chose not to insist, with both men reconnecting two days later once tensions had eased. During that conversation, the former Arsenal forward was reportedly told that his omission was not a purely technical decision.

“He explained the reasons behind it. Basically, he made me understand that it wasn’t his decision, that it was beyond him, and that just a few minutes before announcing the list, I was still included in it,” Pépé disclosed.

Coming to terms with the situation, the 28-year-old adopted a pragmatic stance. “I said: OK, it’s done, it’s done,” he added.

Despite the disappointment, Pépé maintained contact with both the federation president and the coaching staff as the team prepared to enter the tournament, signaling that relations remain intact.

The revelations from the 2023 AFCON winner sheds light on the often-complex dynamics behind squad selections at international level, especially in a country where expectations remain high ahead of a major continental competition.