Simon Adingra, the long downfall of the Africa Cup of Nations champion

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A total loss of confidence

Simon Adingra’s ordeal began right after this Africa Cup of Nations played in January-February 2024. Back at Brighton, the Ivorian winger was never able to regain his spot in the Seagulls’ starting eleven over the long term during the second half of this 2023/24 season. The following season was just as complicated for the former Right To Dream (training center in Ghana) player, with only 12 starts in 37 Premier League matches, overtaken in the left-wing pecking order by Kaoru Mitoma.

In the summer of 2025, the Elephant transferred to Sunderland, newly promoted to the Premier League and who recruited several African players during this summer transfer window. At this point, a prideful reaction from Simon Adingra was expected, but he disappointed again, scoring only 1 goal and providing one assist in 15 matches, whereas his absence from the CAN in Morocco was supposed to allow him to secure a definite spot in Regis Le Bris’s starting eleven. As a result, he would be sent out on loan to Monaco during the mid-season break.

In the Principality, Simon Adingra got his adventure off to a promising start, with the immediate trust of Sébastien Pocognoli, who preferred him over Ansu Fati. And though he quickly delivered, scoring 3 goals in his first 4 matches, Adingra soon fell back into his bad habits—failing to score again for the rest of the season, even if he did deliver two assists between matchday 31<sup>st</sup> (2-2 against Toulouse) and matchday 34<sup>th</sup> (4-5 against Strasbourg).

Another joker burned at the World Cup

Despite his 3 goals and 2 assists in 17 matches, ASM allowed Simon Adingra to make his return to the national team as early as March, and then to secure his place in Emerse Faé’s squad for the World Cup. But the hand extended by the coach was not grasped by Simon Adingra, whose mental fragility and loss of confidence got the better of his explosiveness and his ability to make a difference.

When talking about the Elephants’ journey at the 2026 World Cup, everyone will always remember Simon Adingra’s huge miss against Germany (1-2 loss), thus wasting a golden opportunity served by Nicolas Pépé due to his indecisiveness in a situation where any player would have simply side-footed the ball to wrong-foot Manuel Neuer.

An unclear future at Sunderland

Simon Adingra had yet another chance to revive himself and especially to rediscover his carefree approach on the pitch at the World Cup, but in the end, he burned another joker. This makes his future trajectory all the more uncertain.

Although contracted until 2030 with the Black Cats, Simon Adingra knows he has a lot at stake this transfer window. The Ivorian is not part of Sunderland’s plans for the future, and AS Monaco, unconvinced by his performances, decided not to exercise its purchase option, announcing his departure last June 29, the day before the round of sixteen against Norway.

Simon Adingra will have to work hard this summer not only physically to maintain his fitness, but also psychologically to regain mental strength, all while hoping to find a new club thanks to his past credentials, as his most recent performances have been disappointing.

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