Sebastien Haller, the striker whose goals propelled Ivory Coast to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, has officially been ruled out of the 2025 tournament due to a recurring hamstring injury.
The 31-year-old forward broke his silence Friday, expressing his heartbreak after medical evaluations confirmed he would not be fit to represent the defending champions in Morocco.
Haller had been racing against time to recover after sustaining the injury during club duty with FC Utrecht.
“It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce my withdrawal from this edition of AFCON,” Haller said in a statement.
Haller’s absence leaves a significant void in the Ivorian attack. He became a national hero in February 2024 when he scored the winning goal in the AFCON final against Nigeria.
His physical presence and clinical finishing were expected to be central to head coach Emerse Faé’s tactical plans.
Faé admitted the loss of Haller is a “tactical and emotional setback” but emphasized the depth of the squad. “Seb is a leader and a warrior.
We will miss his influence on the pitch, but this is an opportunity for other players to step up and show their quality,” Faé told reporters at the team’s training base in Marrakesh.
To fill the vacancy, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed that Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand has been called up as a late replacement.
Guessand, who has enjoyed a productive season in the English Premier League, joined the team in Morocco late Friday night.
The defending champions are scheduled to begin their title defense in Group D against Equatorial Guinea on Monday, December 22.
