Ivory Coast are back in 2026 following their elimination in the 2022 qualifiers, and bring with them Emerse Faé, a manager who has already led the team to the African Championship title in 2024. The Ivorian ‘golden generation’ may be a thing of the past, but the next generation is a force to be reckoned with.

Manager Emerse Faé has named three goalkeepers for the Elephants: Yahia Fofana, Alban Lafont and Mohamed Koné. The trio comprises two players with fascinating international careers and a young talent from Belgium – and represents a goalkeeping position that has undergone a fundamental transformation in recent years.

Fofana, aged 25 and born in Paris, has one of the most fascinating career stories in this squad. He progressed through all the French youth national teams from the U17s to the U21s, but then switched to the Ivorian Football Association and made his debut for the Ivory Coast in September 2023. What followed was immediately historic: with the Ivory Coast, he won the 2024 AFCON, the continental title on home soil. He has been the Elephants’ undisputed first-choice goalkeeper ever since. After several years at Monaco, he moved to Çaykur Rizespor in the Turkish Süper Lig in September 2025. Standing 193 cm tall, with explosive reflexes, a modern build-up game and genuine leadership qualities in the penalty area – Fofana is the backbone of the Ivory Coast’s defence.

Lafont, aged 27 and born in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), is a goalkeeper with a remarkable career history. At the age of 16, he made his debut for Toulouse in Ligue 1, becoming the youngest goalkeeper in the history of the French league. Following spells at Fiorentina and over 180 appearances for Nantes, where he won the Coupe de France title in 2022, he has been on loan at Panathinaikos Athens since the summer of 2025. What makes him special: Lafont was named in the squad for the French senior national team in 2022, but never made an appearance. After three years without a competitive appearance, he opted to represent the Ivory Coast in 2025 thanks to his Ivorian great-grandmother and made his debut in October 2025 in a 7–0 victory over the Seychelles. With just three international caps to his name, he brings with him experience from over 350 club matches at the highest European level.

Koné, aged 24, is the youngest goalkeeper in the squad. He came through the Le Havre academy, played for Dunkerque in Ligue 2 and has been with Sporting Charleroi in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League since 2024. There, he has been putting in solid performances this season, with a save percentage of around 75 per cent. As the third-choice goalkeeper, the World Cup offers him a learning environment at the very highest level.