"It was hard for me to apologize" Nicolas Pépé speaks out on racist abuse ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

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·26 de febrero de 2026

"It was hard for me to apologize" Nicolas Pépé speaks out on racist abuse ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

The Villarreal winger was the target of racist insults after provoking Morocco before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

"It was hard for me to apologize" Nicolas Pépé speaks out on racist abuse ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

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In a 52-minute interview with La Nouvelle Chaîne Ivoirienne, Nicolas Pépé opened up about several key moments in his footballing career. The Ivory Coast international detailed how he experienced the racist abuse he suffered directly before the kickoff of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Pépé explained that apologizing was especially difficult for him, given that he was the victim. The former Arsenal player stressed that what hurt him most was the lack of support from the Ivorian Football Federation.

The federation did not defend me. It was a triple punishment for me. Even Ligue 1, the media, everyone stood by me—except my own federation, which only did so belatedly. Even if I wasn't on the squad, that's their decision. But releasing a statement late only made things worse. I never received any message from the president or the coach at that time.