Audio By Carbonatix
Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has announced that he will represent Ivory Coast at international level, despite earning two senior caps for England in friendly games.
The 24-year-old recently announced that he was deliberating over whether to switch his international allegiance, with his two appearances for the Three Lions coming against Sweden and Scotland in November 2012 and August 2013 respectively.
After more than three years in the wilderness, and because neither match was a competitive fixture, Zaha has taken the decision to withdraw his availability for England selection and will instead play a part in Ivory Coast's World Cup qualification campaign.
"The Ivorian-English attacking midfielder Wilfried Zaha has chosen to play for the Elephants, under the colours of the Ivory Coast, his country of origin," a Federation Ivoirienne de Football statement read. "The player has sent, on this Sunday November 27 2016, correspondence to FIFA to change his national team.
"Approached several weeks ago by the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF), Wilfried Zaha has made his choice this Sunday in London. In the presence of his father, of Augustin Sidy Diallo (president of the FIF) and Michel Dussuyer (Elephants coach), he signed at the bottom of the demand to change his sporting nationality addressed to FIFA.
"Born on November 10 in Abidjan, Wilfried Zaha grew up in England, the country for which he made two appearances in friendly matches. However the Crystal Palace player remains eligible to play for the Ivory Coast."
Zaha has made 14 appearances for Palace in all competitions this term, scoring his second goal of the season in the dramatic 5-4 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.
Latest Stories
-
IERPP demands answers as GoldBod reports disappear from website
12 minutes -
Country music legend Dolly Parton dies
17 minutes -
Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako writes: UK’s £39bn social housebuilding programme – Any lessons for Ghana?
18 minutes -
Ghana targets 1,200MW new thermal power capacity by 2029 – Jinapor
20 minutes -
Ghana targets universal electricity access by 2030 as coverage nears 90%
24 minutes -
Titus-Glover files nomination to contest NPP National Organiser position
34 minutes -
NPP women’s organiser aspirant pledges 30% female representation
35 minutes -
GIPA explains key changes to Ghana’s investment regime to prospective investors in Atlanta
37 minutes -
Ghana targets 1,200MW new thermal capacity by 2029 – Jinapor
39 minutes -
SYPALA 2026: CSOs must give young people power to lead, control resources – WACSI
40 minutes -
SYPALA 2026: Rule of law, not military intervention, key to enforcing discipline – Kofi Bentil
40 minutes -
GSA defends decision to allow importation of vehicles up to 15 years old
44 minutes -
Sammy Gyamfi distracting Ghanaians from ‘BoG-GoldBod’ losses with extortion allegations – Oppong Nkrumah
45 minutes -
NACOC boss urges prosecutors to uphold integrity and rule of law
45 minutes -
Africa must take ownership of its development – Vice President
46 minutes