Ivory Coast's head coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, unveiled the highly anticipated 27-man squad for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations during a press conference on Thursday, December 28.

The list, carefully curated and scrutinized by fans and pundits alike, has already sparked intense discussions, primarily due to the absence of the electrifying Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha, the Galatasaray winger known for his flair and game-changing abilities, failed to secure a spot in the squad, leaving fans to speculate about the reasons behind this unexpected omission.

Amidst the shock of Zaha's exclusion, there is a notable return to the squad in the form of Nicolas Pepe.

The former Arsenal star, now plying his trade with Trabzonspor, has once again donned the national colors, injecting a fresh wave of excitement into the Ivorian camp. Pepe's experience and skill set could prove instrumental in Ivory Coast's quest for glory in the 2023 Afcon.

Below is the 27-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana (Angers), Badra Ali Sangare (Sekhukhune), Charles Folly (Asec Mimosas).

Défenseurs : Serge Aurier (Nottingham Forest), Wilfried Singo (AS Monaco), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting), Odilon Kossonou (Bayer 04), Wily Boly (Nottingham Forest), Ghislain Konan (Al-Feyha), Chester Diallo (Split).

Midfielders: Idrissa Doumbia (Al-Ahli Doha), Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Seko Fofana (Al-Nassr), Jean Michael Seri (Hull City), J-T Lazarus (St. Gilloise Union).

Attackers : Nicolas Pepe (Trabzonspor), Max-Alain Gradel (Gaziantep), Simon Adingra (Brighton), Karim Konate (RB Salzburg), Sebastien Haller (Dortmund), Oumar Diakite (Reims), Jonathan Boga (OGC Nice), Christian Kouame (Fiorentina), J-P Krasso (Belgrade).

????VOICI LES 27 ÉLÉPHANTS COMMANDOS POUR LA #CAN2023 !

ILS ONT POUR MISSION ULTIME DE REMPORTER CETTE CAN À DOMICILE AU SOIR DU DIMANCHE 11 FÉVRIER 2024 #LaCANlaPlusChic pic.twitter.com/bXUxtWR6tZ

— La Côte d’Ivoire Est Chic (@Cotedivoireoff_) December 28, 2023