Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha is considering retirement from the Ivory Coast national team at the age of 28.
Zaha suffers with homesickness while on international duty and is “reflecting” on whether to continue representing the Elephants, according to manager Patrice Beaumelle.
Zaha made his Ivory Coast debut in January 2017 having switched allegiances from England after two appearances for the Three Lions some years earlier, both of which came in friendlies.
The former Manchester United man was born to Ivorian parents in the city of Abidjan and was also eligible to represent England after his family moved to London when he was aged four.
He helped Ivory Coast reach the quarter-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and he has scored five goals in 20 games at international level.
But Beaumelle admits Ivory Coast fans may have seen the last of Zaha with the player rejecting his latest call-up.
“He asked not to come because he becomes home sick at each meeting,” said Beaumelle of Zaha. “He wants to reflect on the rest of his international career.”
Zaha will play no part in World Cup qualifiers against Mozambique and Cameroon in mid-November and his participation at the tournament proper in Qatar next year is in doubt.
He will also miss the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations if he calls time on his international career.
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COMMENTS
Is not easy to represent Africa nation. You must be strong physically spiritually .
This is why is dangerous to rely on these foreign born players
Dude is not even foreign born he left Abidjan at 4 lol but I guess spent bus of his life in England. Weird decision when the WC is fast approaching and Ivory Coast is looking good.
Zaha is about to pull a VICTOR MOSES move on Ivory Coast!
It does appear to be a weird decision on the surface.
Home sickness while on international duty? I wonder what the situation is at the Elephant’s camp. If there is harmony and togetherness, Zaha will probably not feel this way. Just speculating.
Thankfully, this is a problem the SE do not have. It’s one big family at the camp. Just the way it should be.