Emmanuel Agbadou will be looking to replicate his club form on the international stage after joining up with the Ivory Coast for their World Cup qualification campaign this week.
The defender has been instrumental to Wolves’ Premier League improvements, and after being a regular starter in his country booking their place in AFCON during the later months of last year, will be expecting to add to his dozen caps in this week’s matches – as well as a run of qualifiers without conceding – when he takes on Burundi and Gambia.
On being called up by the Ivory Coast
“It’s always a privilege to go in the national team. It was a dream when I was young, but now it’s a reality and every time, if I have a possibility to go to play with my national team, I'm very happy.
“I want to give my all for my country, so it's a big opportunity for me, for all of us when we receive this call-up for the national team, so I'm happy. I want you to be there and give 100% for my country.”
On his pride of representing his county
“I cannot explain. You need to feel that [to understand], because it's a very different feeling when you wear your national team shirt, because it’s a dream.
“When you are young and you play football, you grow up hoping one day you will play for your national team.
“Growing up I would see players like Didier Drogba and Didier Zokora play in World Cups and AFCON, and I wanted to pay in those competitions with my national team. Now, I’ve done it my way, step by step, and it's a big feeling that I feel when I go there.”
Agbadou back in the middle of our defence 🔢 pic.twitter.com/6mmHNpM273
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 10, 2025
On replicating club form on the national stage
“I'm feeling good and I need to continue like this. Personally, I want to help my team to qualify for the World Cup, because it’s been a long time that Ivory Coast didn't play in the World Cup.
“This is a big target for Ivory Coast – for the whole nation, who we play for also, so my feelings are when I play, I will give 1,000%. It’s impossible for me to give any more.”
On not conceding a goal in World Cup qualifying
“If we can [keep a clean sheet], we will do, because if you don't concede, you don't lose, and if you don't lose, you have a big possibility to win the game, so if we can continue to defend like this, we will do.
“I think we have top defenders in Ivory Coast, so it’s not impossible, but I think the most important thing is the victory.
“I cannot say, ‘I'm the defender, I will defend alone’, it’s about the work of teammates, we defend together, we attack together, and right now, the spirit in Ivory Coast is good, the mentality is good, and I think we can continue with that for the next games.”
