Nicolas Pépé recalled by Côte d'Ivoire after Yan Diomandé injury | OneFootball

Nicolas Pépé has been recalled by Côte d'Ivoire to replace injured Yan Diomandé for friendlies against South Korea on 28 March and Scotland on 31 March, the federation announced on Sunday.

Head coach Émerse Faé had named a 25-man squad on Wednesday for those matches, scheduled for 15:00 against South Korea and 21:30 against Scotland.

Diomandé, a 19-year-old winger at RB Leipzig with 9 caps and 3 goals, withdrew with a shoulder injury. His absence prompted a late reshuffle.

Villarreal winger Pépé, 30, with 50 caps and 11 goals, has been drafted in. He was not in the last Africa Cup of Nations squad for off-field reasons.

He now links up with the group for two warm-up games in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.

Source: L'Équipe