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No regrets for Zaha in choosing Ivory Coast

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Wilfried Zaha (Getty Images)
Wilfried Zaha (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Wilfried Zaha reckons he does not regret his decision to play for Ivory Coast, saying he was rejected by England.

The Crystal Palace star man had initially chosen to play for the Three Lions ahead of the West African country having played for the England under-21 team as well as earning senior team caps in friendly matches against Sweden and Scotland in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Zaha, who was born in Abidjan, but eligible for both countries then changed his mind after he was overlooked by England for four years and made his debut for Ivory Coast in 2016.

The talented forward stated that he is still happy with his decision even after the Elephants failed to make it for the tournament in Russia while the Three Lions fine tunes their preparations for the global showpiece.

Zaha told CNN Sport."It was just like I was rejected from the England side. I didn't get picked or even get a look in for four years.

"Four years in football is a long time so it's like there's no regret at all. No one even thought about me at all. And Ivory Coast, even though I told them no, they still had the belief in me and still wanted me because they knew what I could do for the team.

"Obviously we may not be in the World Cup but it's just a learning curve. From there, what we need to do is just get better and hopefully try and get into the next one.

"As for me not playing for England, I've got no regret at all. I'm happy with the decision I made."

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