Nicolas Pepe Recalled to Ivory Coast Squad for World Cup

Ivory Coast striker Nicolas Pepe has received a belated opportunity to audition for the World Cup as he has been recalled to the national squad following the injury of teenage striker Yann Diomande. This comes ahead of the World Cup warm-up match against South Korea, scheduled for March 31 in Milton Keynes, England.

The 30-year-old Pepe was omitted from the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco, where the Ivorian team was eliminated in the quarter-final stage. The French-born former Arsenal striker has scored five goals in La Liga for Villarreal this season and has won 50 caps for the Elephants since October.

His previous omission sparked controversy, particularly due to comments he made in a YouTube video regarding Morocco's poor record in the Africa Cup of Nations, which led to accusations of racial abuse online. The Ivorian Football Federation has also faced criticism for not supporting the national team adequately in the World Cup group stage against Ecuador, Germany, and Curacao.