Ivory Coast faces intensified competition from Germany to secure dual-nationality talents, with Eintracht Frankfurt striker Younes a prime example as he is also pursued by Morocco. The battle for eligible players comes as the Elephants, second in their World Cup qualifying group with 6 points, prepare for a key home fixture against Ghana on September 24. Their next fixture is against Mali on October 7.

Germany manager Jürgen Klopp named an oversized 26-man squad for the September international break, a deliberate move to maximise playing opportunities. Within that group, several players remain eligible for other nations, a situation that complicates recruitment for federations like Ivory Coast. Jonathan Tah and Serge Gnabry, for instance, could technically still switch to the Elephants, though they have multiple caps for Germany.

The Younes case highlights the struggle

The most pressing case is that of 23-year-old Frankfurt forward Younes. Morocco manager Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed his long-standing interest in the player. "He had a profile that interested us," Ouahbi said. "I spoke to him on the phone and explained the Morocco project to him, without making any promises."

The danger for Ivory Coast is that if Younes features in a UEFA Nations League match for Germany this month, he will be permanently tied to that nation. This would shut the door on any future call-up by the Elephants. The German football association, aware of the stakes, is redoubling efforts to integrate these early talents.

A highly coveted German pool

The list of Germany squad members eligible for other countries is extensive. It includes Jamal Musiala (Nigeria, England), Karim Adeyemi (Nigeria, Romania), Malick Thiaw (Senegal, Finland) and Ridle Baku (DR Congo). This wealth reflects Germany's demographics, where over 21 million of its 83 million inhabitants have a migration background.

Andreas Rettig, managing director for sport at the DFB, highlighted this reality before the 2026 World Cup. Germany has already seen talents like Can Uzun (Turkey) and Paul Wanner (Austria) choose other nations. Conversely, it successfully secured players like Josha Vagnoman, who has an Ivorian father but has two senior caps for Germany.

For Ivory Coast, this situation demands heightened vigilance and proactive engagement. The Elephants have a mixed record of three wins and two defeats in their last five matches (LWLWW). Following a 2-1 loss to Norway in late June, the team must focus on qualification, with all the details available on our standings page. The clash with Ghana is vital to consolidate second place.

The upcoming international break will be closely watched by Ivorian scouts monitoring German team sheets. The issue extends beyond Younes to the Elephants' broader capacity to attract the best diaspora talent in an increasingly competitive market. The full list of players tracked by the federation is available in our squad section.

The original report is at dw.com