Naples will only hire new African players if they agree not to play in the African Cup of Nations, a competition usually organized during the season, according to the president of the Italian club Aurelio de Laurentiis. In London, where he was speaking to the press, Kalidou Koulibaly replied on Wednesday that “no one [lui] had never asked not to participate in the CANduring his eight seasons spent in the colors of Napoli.
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Trained in France and recruited by Naples in 2014, Koulibaly chose to join the Lions late, at 24, before becoming their captain and then winning the CAN last winter in Cameroon. “No one can ban me from playing for my national team“Warned the 31-year-old central defender, specifying:”It might be the only reason I could fight someone. Everyone thinks the same as me in the national team. If someone tells us not to go (in selection, Ed), we would all fight to go. Defending the colors of the national team is for me the most important thing that exists. People need to show more respect.»
The clubs, employers of the players, have the obligation to let their internationals join their selections during the international periods governed by the International Federation (Fifa). Naples, qualified for the Champions League, has among its star players the Nigerian international Victor Osimhen, who did not play in the last CAN due to injury.