Left out of Emerse Faé's squad for the 2026 World Cup, the Ivorian midfielder found himself unwittingly at the center of a media frenzy. Accused of defying the coach, he breaks his silence and sets the record straight.

A viral gesture that's setting the internet ablaze

It all started at the end of a Greek league match with his club, AE Kifisia. Having had a great season, Lazare Amani celebrated the game by miming making a phone call. A simple gesture, but one that immediately set social media ablaze.

In the context of his non-selection for the World Cup, many internet users saw it as a thinly veiled dig at the Elephants' staff, interpreting the gesture as a message like: "Why aren't they calling me up?"

The African champion's blunt clarification

Faced with the online storm, the 28-year-old player decided to put an end to the rumors via his social media. No, this gesture had absolutely nothing to do with the national team.

“I was simply referring to my former club, which was playing a title match at the same time. All the interpretations since yesterday, please leave me out of it,” clarified the 2023 African champion, alluding to Union Saint-Gilloise.

Heading for a united front behind the Elephants

Far from being bitter, the midfielder was keen to display an impeccable attitude and called for a sacred union behind Ivory Coast.

1. Full support: He approves of the coach's choices ( "The coach has chosen his best soldiers for this competition" ).
2. Focus on the future: He invites supporters to push the team towards victory rather than seeking controversy.
3. Personal determination: For his part, Amani continues to work in his club with a clear objective: to permanently regain his place in the national team.