Junior Diaz called up by Hervé Renard following Kossounou’s withdrawal

The Troyes centre-back has been called up for the first two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Junior Diaz has been called up following Odilon Kossounou’s injury. The Ivorian Football Federation has confirmed the inclusion of the Troyes centre-back in Hervé Renard’s squad for the September–October 2026 international break.

Junior Diaz will therefore be with the Ivory Coast Elephants for the scheduled matches. He will take part in the first two rounds of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Elephants will face Ghana on Thursday 24 September at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké, in their opening match, before taking on Somalia on 29 September at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium. Ivory Coast will round off the FIFA international break with a friendly against Cameroon on 3 October in Abidjan.