Emerse Faé revealed his 26-man Ivory Coast squad for the World Cup on Friday, with Sébastien Haller's omission the standout headline.
The striker, who fired the Elephants to glory at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil with goals in the semifinal and final, was left out of the squad after weeks of uncertainty surrounding his place.
Haller had said ahead of the announcement that missing out on the World Cup squad would represent one of the biggest disappointments of his career, while acknowledging that competition for places -- and his own struggles for playing time at FC Utrecht -- had weakened his case for inclusion.
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"Participating in a World Cup is a dream that has become a goal," he told Dutch broadcaster NCI Sport, "but I'm one of the players who hasn't been selected for a while, so it's clear this makes my place uncertain.
"If I'm not selected for this World Cup, it will be close to the biggest disappointment of my career. It would inevitably represent a disappointment and a frustration."
Faé has instead opted for younger and more dynamic attacking options, with uncapped Inter Milan forward Ange-Yoan Bonny and Elye Wahi, on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt from Nice, instead being included.
Bonny, who has represented France up to under-21 level, only had his request to switch nationality approved by FIFA on May 8, while Wahi's inclusion represents a remarkable turnaround for the 23-year-old.
Faé had previously appeared to rule the attacker out of his squad, before being won over by the striker's progress and performances, handing him an international debut in March.
Yan Diomande, Nicolas Pépé, Amad Diallo and Bazoumana Touré are among the Elephants' attacking options, highlighting the strength in depth available to Faé in the final third.
The door isn't entirely closed for Haller, with Faé -- who recently travelled to the Netherlands to watch the striker in action -- naming him among his five reserve players for the tournament.
Elsewhere, captain Franck Kessié, who suffered an injury scare in action for club side Al Ahli in their 3-0 Saudi Pro League victory against Al Fateh last Wednesday, has been named, alongside Crystal Palace forward Evann Guessand, who has not featured since April 9 due to injury.
There's no place for Jérémie Boga, Ismael Doukoure or new call-up Martial Godo, while Oumar Diakité and Simon Adingra have been included despite doubts about their recent form at club level.
Jean-Philippe Krasso, Wilfried Zaha, Vakoun Bayo, Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and Kader Meïte are among the other high-profile players not included in the West Africans' plans for the tournament.
Ivory Coast kick off their campaign against Ecuador in Philadelphia on June 14, before they take on Germany in Toronto six days later. The Elephants will conclude their Group E campaign against Curacao back in Philadelphia on June 25.
Ivory Coast 2026 World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana, Mohamed Koné, Alban Lafont.
Defenders: Emmanuel Agbadou, Clément Akpa, Ousmane Diomande, Guela Doué, Ghislain Konan, Odilon Kossounou, Evan Ndicka, Wilfried Singo.
Midfielders: Seko Fofana, Parfait Guiagon, Christ Inao Oulaï, Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, Jean-Mickaël Seri.
Forwards: Simon Adingra, Ange-Yoan Bonny, Amad Diallo, Oumar Diakité, Yan Diomandé, Evann Guessand, Nicolas Pepê, Bazoumana Touré, Elye Wahi.
Reserves: Ira Tapé, Christopher Operi, Malick Yalcouyé, Martial Godo, Sébastien Haller.
