The Ivory Coast national football team will be without their key striker, Sebastien Haller, during the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Elephants kick start their AFCON 2025 campaign against Zambia at home on Friday, September 6, and Chad away on Tuesday, September 10.

Sebastien Haller will not be available for these matches due to his recent loan transfer to Spanish La Liga side CD Leganes from German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

Haller, who notably scored the winning goal in the 2023 AFCON final against Nigeria, has been replaced by France-based striker Jean-Philippe Krasso in the squad.

An official statement from the Ivorian Football Federation informed, “The federation Ivorian Football informs the press and the public that the player Sébastien Haller, summoned by Selector Emerse Faé for the 1st and 2nd Days of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, will be unavailable due to his transfer to another club.”

It further stated, “Indeed, the Ivorian international, who transferred to Leganés (Spain) in the final moments of the Mercato, will be with his new club, especially for the medical examination.”

As a result, Sébastien Haller is replaced by Jean-Philippe Krasso of Paris FC for this FIFA window from September 2 to 10, 2024.