Written by: Mohamed Ragab
The Ivory Coast national team achieved a historic feat after qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup for the first time in its history, following its victory over the Curaçao national team by two goals to nil, in the last round of the fifth group competitions.
The victory gave the “Elephants” a ticket to the next round after they finished second in the group, behind the group leader Germany, writing a new page in the history of Ivorian football, which had participated in previous editions of the World Cup without being able to get past the group stage.
Nicolas Pepe is the hero of this historic night.
Striker Nicolas Pepe established himself as the star of the match after scoring both of Ivory Coast’s goals. He opened the scoring early in the seventh minute, before returning to add the second goal in the second half to confirm his country’s superiority and secure qualification.
Pepe delivered one of his best performances in the national team jersey, in a strong comeback for the player who had missed some international commitments during the past period, before regaining his place and leading his team to this historic achievement.
A balanced run in Group E
The Ivory Coast national team began its journey in the tournament with a valuable victory over Ecuador with a score of 1-0, before losing a tough match against Germany with a score of 2-1, and then succeeded in winning the decisive match against Curaçao with two goals to nil.
Thanks to this journey, the Ivorian national team succeeded in collecting seven points that guaranteed its qualification to the next round, while the Curaçao national team bid farewell to the tournament despite its historic first participation in the World Cup.
A historic joy and messages of ambition
Following the end of the match, the Ivory Coast players celebrated on the field and in the locker rooms, amid an atmosphere of joy after achieving a long-awaited accomplishment.
Coach Emerse Faye stressed that the qualification represents a historic moment for Ivorian football, urging fans to enjoy this achievement and continue supporting the team during the upcoming rounds.
For his part, Nicolas Pepe stressed that the team does not want to stop at this point, stressing that the team has the capabilities that allow it to continue the journey and compete against the top teams.
A highly anticipated match in the next round
The Ivory Coast national team is expected to meet in the next round the runner-up of Group Nine, which will be determined between the French and Norwegian national teams, in a match that seems difficult but carries great ambitions for the Ivorian Elephants.
With this achievement, Ivory Coast joins the list of African teams that have succeeded in writing a new history in the World Cup, confirming that African football continues to assert its presence on the global stage.
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