Ivory Coast returns in 2026 after being eliminated in the 2022 qualifiers, bringing with them Emerse Faé, a coach who already led the team to the African Championship title in 2024. While the Ivorian “golden generation” may be a thing of the past, the next generation is a force to be reckoned with.

Coach Emerse Faé named three goalkeepers for the Elephants: Yahia Fofana, Alban Lafont, and Mohamed Koné. The trio includes two players with intriguing national team backgrounds and a young talent from Belgium—and represents a goalkeeper position that has undergone a fundamental transformation in recent years.

Fofana, 25 years old and born in Paris, has one of the most fascinating career stories on this team. He played for every level of the French youth national teams, from the U17s to the U21s, but then switched to the Ivorian Football Federation and made his debut for the Ivory Coast in September 2023. What followed was immediately historic: With the Ivory Coast, he won the 2024 AFCON, the continental title on home soil. Since then, he has been the undisputed starting goalkeeper for the Elephants. After years with Monaco, he transferred to Çaykur Rizespor in the Turkish Süper Lig in September 2025. Standing 193 cm tall, with explosive reflexes, a modern build-up game, and true leadership qualities in the penalty area—Fofana is the backbone of the Ivory Coast’s defense.

Lafont, 27 years old and born in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), is a goalkeeper with a remarkable career history. At age 16, he made his debut for Toulouse in Ligue 1, becoming the youngest goalkeeper in the history of the French league. After stints with Fiorentina and over 180 appearances for Nantes, where he won the 2022 Coupe de France title, he has been on loan to Panathinaikos Athens since the summer of 2025. What makes him special: Lafont earned a spot on the French senior national team roster in 2022 but never saw action. After three years without playing in a competitive match, he opted to represent the Ivory Coast in 2025 thanks to his Ivorian great-grandmother and made his debut in October 2025 in a 7-0 victory over the Seychelles. With just three international appearances to his name, he brings experience from over 350 club matches at the highest European level.

Koné, 24, is the youngest goalkeeper on the team. He came up through the Le Havre academy, played in Ligue 2 for Dunkerque, and has been with Sporting Charleroi in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League since 2024. There, he has been putting in solid performances this season with a save percentage of around 75 percent. As the third-string goalkeeper, the World Cup is a learning experience for him at the highest level.