Ivory Coast’s Elephants: Who Is Abdoulaye Kanté, Hervé Renard’s New Surprise?

Author: Jean Kelly KOUASSIPublished on: November 5, 2026Country: Ivory Coast

Sports

Ivory Coast’s Elephants: Who Is Abdoulaye Kanté, Hervé Renard’s New Surprise?

At 21, defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Raslan Kanté has received his first call-up to Ivory Coast’s senior team under Hervé Renard, joining the 25 players selected to face Gambia on November 12 and 19, 2026, in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Trained at FC Montfermeil and then Troyes, he made 52 Ligue 2 appearances for ESTAC. After spells at Middlesbrough and on loan at Saint-Étienne, where he played 16 league matches, he signed a contract with Al-Ettifaq through 2030 in August 2026. Kanté has also represented Ivory Coast at under-23 level.

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