Ivory Coast head coach Emerse Fae has issued a strong message ahead of his side’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E clash against Germany, insisting the Elephants are aiming for victory to secure early qualification for the knockout stages.
After opening their campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, Fae says his team is full of belief and ready to challenge one of the tournament favourites.
“We didn’t come here to visit the United States and go home. We beat France and we’ve made a good start to this tournament against Ecuador, a very tough side. The next match against Germany? It will be a difficult match. Germany have a wealth of experience. But we’ll go out to challenge them, win and secure our qualification,” he said.
Despite Germany’s strong start to the tournament, Fae insists Ivory Coast are not intimidated and are determined to compete at the highest level.
Germany, four-time world champions, enter the fixture as Group E favourites after a dominant opening win over Curacao, but the Elephants believe another upset is possible as they chase a place in the last 16.
