Elie Junior Kroupi Chooses France Over Portugal for 2026 World Cup

Elie Junior Kroupi has announced that he will represent France rather than Portugal at the 2026 World Cup. The decision was confirmed on Tuesday as Portugal manager Roberto Martínez unveiled his squad list. Martínez, the head coach of the Seleçao, said that Kroupi had been on his radar for the upcoming tournament. He confirmed his awareness of Kroupi’s eligibility and potential involvement. Kroupi is currently a forward for Bournemouth. He was identified as a potential candidate for the Portugal squad.

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The announcement came at the moment Portugal released its preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup. The list was presented publicly on Tuesday. Kroupi expressed a clear preference for playing with France. He communicated this choice to the Portuguese staff during the selection process.

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Portugal will proceed with its squad selection without Kroupi. The decision was noted by the coaching staff. Both the French and Portuguese federations will now consider Kroupi’s decision in their roster planning. His choice will be taken into account as the federations finalize their rosters.