Ivorian Seko Fofana calls time on international career

Midfielder Seko Fofana, who helped Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2024, on Monday announced his international retirement at age 31.

"The time has come for me to turn the page. It is with pride and deep gratitude that I had the chance to compete for my country," said Fofana, who plays on loan at Portuguese club Porto from French side Rennes, in a post on Instagram.

"Winning the continent's most prestigious trophy was a childhood dream come true for me, and these memories will be etched forever in the minds of millions of Ivorians," he added of the Afcon triumph at home against Nigeria.

"I will always remain the No 1 fan of the Elephants and I look forward to seeing this new generation write their own story. We have no shortage of talent here."

Born in Paris, Fofana played for France at youth level before switching to his parents' country Ivory Coast, scoring seven goals and earning 34 caps over a nine-year international career.

Having played for Udinese, Lens and in Saudi Arabia, Fofana was a key player in the Ivorian midfield alongside Franck Kessie and Jean Michael Seri.

He featured in two games at the 2026 World Cup as the African team were eliminated by Norway in the round of 32.