Who is Nicolas Pepe? Ivory Coast attacker who scored vs Curacao in FIFA World Cup 2026

Nicolas Pepe has scored 13 goals for the Ivory Coast in 56 games.

The Ivory Coast are currently playing an action-packed game against World Cup debutants Curacao at the Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania.

While both sides are keen on winning the match and staying in the race to qualify for the knockout stage of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Les Éléphants got an early lead.

Former Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe, who also started against Ecuador in the Ivory Coast’s opening game of the FIFA World Cup, has scored a memorable goal for the West African nation. Yan Diomande played a great job and pounced on the defensive error by Caurcao.

Pepe’s goal also became the fastest in the team’s history; earlier, the record was held by former midfielder Yaya Touré.

Including the ongoing edition, Les Éléphants have qualified for the FIFA World Cup on four occasions. They are very close to qualifying for the knockout stage of the summer competition for the first time.

Also Read: List of all nations qualified for Round of 32 of FIFA World Cup 2026

Nicolas Pepe Profile

• Age: 31
• Position: Right midfielder
• Club: Villarreal

Nicolas Pepe was born in Mantes-la-Jolie, France, on May 29, 1995. He started playing football as a goalkeeper for local side Solitaire Paris Est when he was only 14. Later, he had the opportunity to start his senior career at Poitiers Football Club.

Pepe made his senior debut in 2012, and since then, he has played for a ton of big and small clubs. He joined LOSC Lille in June 2017 and soon became one of the biggest stars of the Ligue 1 side.

In two seasons for Lille, Pepe played 79 games, scoring 37 goals and providing 19 assists across all competitions. His performance for the French club earned him a move to Premier League giants Arsenal for a then club-record reported fee of €80 million (£72 million).

However, his time in North London did not go well, as he suffered injuries, and when he recovered, Pepe did not manage to return to his top form. He currently plays for LaLiga side Villarreal, which he joined on a free transfer from Trabzonspor in 2024.

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