Eli Junior Kroupi's father makes it clear: "He doesn't know Côte d'Ivoire"

France or Côte d'Ivoire: Eli Junior Kroupi's father sets the record straightEli Junior Kroupi / @x.com/ActuFoot_/The father of Bournemouth's young striker, Eli Junior Kroupi, has put an end to rumors...

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Eli Junior Kroupi's father makes it clear: "He doesn't know Côte d'Ivoire"

[Eli Junior Kroupi's father makes it clear:]

Eli Junior Kroupi's father makes it clear: "He doesn't know Côte d'Ivoire"

Foot Africa

Sun, March 1, 2026 at 6:35 PM UTC·
2 min read

France or Côte d'Ivoire: Eli Junior Kroupi's father sets the record straight

Eli Junior Kroupi / @x.com/ActuFoot_/

The father of Bournemouth's young striker, Eli Junior Kroupi, has put an end to rumors linking his son's international future to the Ivorian national team. He confirmed that, for now, his son still favors representing France on the international stage.

Born in France to an Ivorian father and a mother of Portuguese descent, Kroupi first came through the ranks at FC Lorient before making his mark this season with Bournemouth's first team. At only 19 years old, the forward has already made an impression, scoring 8 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions.

Kroupi's father speaks out on his son's international future

In an interview with Sport News Africa, his father, Eli Kroupi senior, a former Ivorian international, explained that choosing a national team remains a delicate decision, emphasizing that he doesn't want to put any pressure on his son.

"Junior is French. He doesn't know Côte d'Ivoire. So these are very tough decisions. I can't push him to choose Côte d'Ivoire, harass him about it, and then, if it goes wrong, he'll blame me... I want to keep my role as a father. And people need to understand that."

He added: "He's my only son, I've raised him. Whether his choices are positive or negative, I support him."

The former Ivorian international also pointed out that the situation is unique because of his son's multiple nationalities. "People shouldn't forget that Eli Junior has three nationalities. His mother is Portuguese, I, his father, am Ivorian, and he is French. It's a delicate matter..."

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