Elephants of Côte d'Ivoire: Ismaël Doukouré, a timely switch?

Discretion before the spotlights. As he did for Élie Wahi, Emerse Faé met with Ismaël Doukouré’s clan in mid-April, far from sight. Very quickly, things accelerated. The defender or defensive midfielder from Strasbourg has accepted the project of Côte d'Ivoire, who are about to compete at the American World Cup. «We don’t communicate about the players who join us so as not to put pressure on them. Otherwise, for Doukouré, everything was done naturally," a very senior official of the Ivorian Football Federation told Sport News Africa.

Grateful, Faé went to say thank you, immediately afterwards, at the Consulate of Côte d'Ivoire in Paris, which has become the most frequented place by Ivorian binationals for some time. In turn, Godo, Wahi, Gboho, and thus Doukouré recently visited for their administrative documents. With Doukouré’s "yes", Faé now has all the elements to form a strong team capable of competing with the best in the World Cup.

"Indeed, they could all be on the June list (Gboho, Bonny, Doukouré, editor’s note) for the match against France (friendly, June 4, 2026, editor’s note), if the coach believes that they are among the best 26 Ivorians of the moment...", a senior FIF official told Sport News Africa. on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, just before the celebration of the four-year review of the current Executive Committee led by Yacine Idriss Diallo. The arrival of the man from Strasbourg, who has made 21 matches and an assist in Ligue 1 this season, reshuffles the cards. But in which sector will it settle sustainably?

Doukouré, another defender or a sentinel?
The Ivorian Football Federation is satisfied with the many Ivorians enlisted under the nose and beard of other nations a few months before the World Cup. Among them, the very last, Ismaël Doukouré. The 22-year-old player has given his approval. He arrives to reinforce a middle game in search of serenity, even with long names: Séko Fofana, Sangaré, Kessié, Guiagon, Traoré, Benié, Maho, Inao, Gboho, Séri. His arrival did not make waves unlike that of Bonny, announced by Faé then denied by the FIF before everything returned to order. But it is revealing of the problems in the midfield. However, a debate arises.

"Why do you want to make Ismaël Doukouré a number 6? Since he was in the U17 with Valenciennes, even before he landed in Strasbourg, he’s been a pure central defender. It’s true that he has a very good game reading and therefore an ability to anticipate, which allowed him to win at the top level, but above all, he is an axial. At Valenciennes, in his debut in Ligue 2, he played 29 games in central defense. In truth, he only played twice as a sentinel in 73 meetings with Strasbourg. I remain skeptical..."

analyses Dago Charles, former international footballer and consultant to the Ivorian Television.

A successor to Séri
Faé is looking for a player to succeed Jean Michaël Séri in the long term. Jean Eudes Aholou, Mahi Dorgeles, Baba Diomandé, Idrissa Doumbia and even Guéla Doué or Odilon Kossounou have been tried in this position. Guéla and Kossounou gave satisfaction to a certain extent, but not the others. However, Guéla is more efficient in the selection on the right of the defense and Kossounou in the middle of the axis than elsewhere. Can Doukouré do better in a position that is not his?

«Doukouré is a Swiss knife. I’m not worried about him. His volume of play and his natural ability to move forward will be an undeniable asset. Séri is certainly living his last hours with the national team. We need to install a boss in front of the defense. Sangaré is reluctant to take on this position, and Kessié has long since lost his defensive reflexes. This position is the weak link in the Elephants' conflict. Doukouré works with Inao, with a Kessié as his guide, which can hurt. Faé should give it a try"

 says a former teammate of Faé in the golden generation of Elephants.

Now a coach in the Ivorian Ligue 1, he asked not to be mentioned. "What we lack is a barker. When I see the rage and impact with which Doukouré plays in Strasbourg, I have no doubt that he can succeed under the pachyderms' jersey," he concludes.

The ball is now in Ismaël Doukouré’s court. Him, who will discover the group but who can already count on his teammates in club including Martial Godo, scorer and setter in a friendly in March against South Korea, Guéla Doué, but also David Datro Fofana. With them, he already formed a family in the Alsatian formation. He will have to take his bearings with them to succeed in the "sentinel mission".