Interview | Elye Wahi says Ivory Coast ‘can be one of the favourites’ for the World Cup
Article excerpt
Striker Elye Wahi, fresh off a 4-1 victory with OGC Nice that secured the club's Ligue 1 status, declared that Ivory Coast can compete for the World Cup title before departing for the tournament. The 21-year-old's confidence comes at a moment of personal momentum, Nice's decisive win over Saint-Étienne locked in their top-flight future just hours before his departure. Wahi, who has emerged as a key offensive talent for the French club, believes his national team possesses the quality to challenge the tournament's elite. The interview captures him at an inflection point: domestic success achieved, international ambitions now in focus.
Interview | Elye Wahi says Ivory Coast ‘can be one of the favourites’ for the World Cup
In the aftermath of OGC Nice’s 4-1 win over AS Saint-Étienne, which guaranteed the club’s place in Ligue 1 for next season, and just hours before his departure for the FIFA World Cup, Get French Football News spoke with Elye Wahi (23).
You arrived at Nice in January and your goals have ultimately kept the club in Ligue 1. How would you evaluate your return to France?
Honestly, there were highs and lows. I got injured too, and so that stopped my momentum, but in any case, I managed to come back in time to help the team, and that’s the most important thing.
Thanks to your goals with Nice (18 games, seven goals), you arrive at the World Cup in top form. Do you think you can go far in the competition?
We will do everything to do just that. We mustn’t set ourselves limits on what we can do and give everything that we have in every match.
Is it a dream for you to compete in a World Cup?
It’s a dream and, at the moment, it doesn’t feel real. I think it will be the moment that I step onto the pitch that it will feel real.
Who do you think are the favourites?
I think that there are several. Are we one of them? I think the Ivory Coast is one, or at least we can be.
This interview is a repost from Get French Football News and can be found HERE
GFN | Luke Entwistle, reporting from Nice