Fofana bids farewell to Ivory Coast: “Time to turn the page” | OneFootball

It can be seen as one less concern for Francesco Farioli. In the build-up to the match against Casa Pia, the coach had admitted that the Ivory Coast international midfielder was still not physically ready to start for FC Porto.

The Porto coach could have been without the player during the next FIFA window, which comes after the clash with Benfica. However, Seko Fofana has since announced his retirement from the Ivory Coast national team, meaning he will be available to work with the squad during those three weeks.

The midfielder announced the decision on social media in an emotional message.

“Dear Ivorian supporters, it is time for me to turn the page. It is with pride and immense gratitude that I had the chance to fight for my country,” began the 31-year-old midfielder, who is at FC Porto on loan from Rennes until the end of the season.

“I won the most beautiful trophy on the continent [Ed. note: the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON]. It is a childhood dream that came true for me, and they will be memories forever engraved for millions of Ivorians,” added Fofana, before concluding.

“Thank you to my teammates, the staff and all of you for your strength and support. I will always remain the Elephants’ first supporter, eager to see this new generation write its own story. There is no lack of talent among us,” he said.

Fofana earned 35 caps for Ivory Coast, the last of which came against Germany, at the 2026 World Cup, and he scored seven goals.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.