Emerse Faé insists criticism does not influence his choices | OneFootball

Côte d'Ivoire head to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco from 21 Dec 2025 to 18 Jan 2026 aiming to defend their crown, and Emerse Faé says outside criticism does not influence his choices.

According to L'Équipe, the head coach had recently tried to explain his selections to supporters through a series of social media messages, but he has stepped back from that approach due to the sheer volume of requests and the risk of being misunderstood.

He accepted that some remarks can feel unfair and hurt, and that he is sometimes tempted to reply as a human being, but he avoids provocation to keep situations from escalating.

As a result, his communication around the tournament is set to be more restrained in Morocco.

The holders, drawn in Group F, begin their campaign on Wednesday 24 December against Mozambique.

Source: L'Équipe