Sébastien Haller joins Sanfrecce Hiroshima After winning the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, Sébastien Haller has officially signed for Sanfrecce Hiroshima. The Japanese club presented the striker on Friday, July 24, 2026, and Haller shared his reasons for the move. « The project presented by Sanfrecce Hiroshima immediately appealed to me », he said. The Elephants' last match, a 1-2 loss to Norway on June 30, 2026, did not dampen his determination to take on new challenges. ## Why Japan? Haller explained that the club showed « respect and humility », which touched him. « I have never made a transfer decision so quickly », he added. The choice of Japan, with its different culture, was carefully considered with his family. A fun detail: « my wife's favorite color is purple », the club's color. ## His goals with Sanfrecce Hiroshima The former Borussia Dortmund player wants to become « an indispensable player » for his new club. « The goal is to win trophies », he confessed. After a run of four losses in five matches (1W-0D-4L), including two consecutive defeats, Haller hopes to regain his scoring touch. ## Return to the national team? The 31-year-old player also hopes to return to the national team for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin in September. « I want to prove that I am still an essential player », he concluded.