AS Roma defender Evan Ndicka was born in Paris to a Cameroonian father and an Ivorian mother. He was eligible to represent France, Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire at senior level.
In fact, he initially trained in France and played for all the youth teams of Les Bleus but never received a call up to the senior team.
For several years, the Cameroonian and Ivorian football federations courted the former Eintracht Frankfurt player, but he finally opted for the Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire.
“I’m not saying I don’t like Cameroon. I love the country a lot, but I preferred Côte d’Ivoire. It was a natural choice,” he told Italian media outlet Siamo La Roma.
His mother is a fervent supporter of the Elephants, but it wasn’t only that reason that led to his decision.
“The organisation and dynamics of the Ivorian football, as well as the vision of the Federation and the coaching staff, played a key role in my decision,” he said.
The timing was also a big factor, he said. Côte d’Ivoire “firmly” approached him just before the 2023 AFCON, while Cameroon was slow to position itself.
Ndicka joined the Elephants for the AFCON which was being held in Côte d’Ivoire, and quickly established himself in the team’s defence.
He was credited for “neutralising” then Napoli star Victor Osimhen, who spearheaded the Super Eagles’ attack in the final, which Côte d’Ivoire won 2-1 over Nigeria.
“Winning the AFCON is the best moment of my young career,” he said. “It validated my choice and strengthened my sense of belonging.”