African stars who will miss the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers after retiring from international football
The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers will be without a number of prominent names who have played an important role in African football over the past decade, after stars including Riyad Mahrez, Aïssa Mandi, Edouard Mendy, Jean Michaël Seri, Seko Fofana and Iñaki Williams decided to bring their international careers to an end during 2026.
The departure of these players marks the end of an era for Algeria, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, with each leaving his own mark, whether through continental titles, leadership or memorable moments that will remain etched in the minds of supporters.
CAFonline.com looks at some of the players who will be absent from their national teams during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers.
Riyad Mahrez: Leader of Algeria’s title-winning generation
Riyad Mahrez left the Algeria national team after an international career spanning 12 years, during which he made 119 appearances and scored 40 goals. The former Manchester City and Leicester City winger was one of the leading figures of the generation that returned Algeria to the summit of African football, helping the Fennecs win the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2019 in Egypt.
His last-minute goal against Nigeria in the semi-finals of the 2019 tournament remains one of the most iconic moments of his continental career, before he lifted the trophy in Cairo as Algeria captain.
After years as a regular presence for the national team, Mahrez announced his international retirement following Algeria’s elimination by Switzerland in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a career that established him as one of the most prominent players in Algeria’s history.
Mahrez’s absence will usher Algeria into a new era without one of their most important leaders and one of the players most closely associated with the generation that won the continental title. Players such as Mohamed Amoura, Ibrahim Maza, Amine Gouiri and Anis Hadj Moussa are among those expected to take on greater responsibility in attack and creativity in the years ahead.
Edouard Mendy: The goalkeeper who made history with Senegal
Edouard Mendy’s name will forever be associated with one of the greatest achievements in Senegal’s football history, having been the first-choice goalkeeper when the Teranga Lions won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021.
In the final against Egypt, Mendy kept a clean sheet throughout 120 minutes before playing a major role in the penalty shoot-out that handed Senegal the title. He was also named the tournament’s best goalkeeper after keeping four clean sheets.
The Senegal goalkeeper ended his international career after making around 60 appearances, leaving behind a legacy closely linked to the country’s first continental title.
The challenge now for Senegal’s new generation, and the goalkeepers who follow him, will be to maintain the standards that have helped establish the national team as one of the continent’s leading forces.
Aïssa Mandi: A pillar of Algeria’s defence
Aïssa Mandi left the Algeria national team after a long international career that made him one of the most frequently capped defenders in the history of the Fennecs.
Mandi made more than 110 international appearances and was a key member of the side that won the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2019, starting the final against Senegal.
He was known for his consistency, composure and experience, representing Algeria at numerous continental and international competitions before announcing his international retirement in July 2026.
His departure means the Fennecs will lose one of the most experienced members of their defensive line.
Jean Michaël Seri: The architect of Côte d’Ivoire’s midfield
After 11 years with the Côte d’Ivoire national team, Jean Michaël Seri ended his international career in July 2026, bringing to a close the journey of one of the Elephants’ most prominent midfielders of the past decade.
Seri was part of the side that won the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023, staged in Côte d’Ivoire, as the hosts lifted the trophy in front of their home supporters.
He was renowned for his ability to control the tempo of matches and link the different areas of the pitch, with his midfield influence forming an important part of Côte d’Ivoire’s successful run to the continental title on home soil.
Seri also featured at several editions of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations before eventually bringing his international career to an end.
Côte d’Ivoire now enter a period of transition in midfield following his departure, with players such as Franck Kessié and Simon Adingra, together with other members of the emerging generation, expected to continue building on the legacy of the team that delivered the Elephants’ most recent continental title.
Seko Fofana: The African champion who lived his dream
At the age of 31, Seko Fofana chose to end his international career with Côte d’Ivoire in September 2026 after 34 appearances for the national team and a direct role in the Elephants’ triumph at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023.
Fofana described winning the continental title as the fulfilment of a childhood dream in the message announcing his decision to retire from international football.
He was an important member of the Côte d’Ivoire squad during the tournament and was particularly influential in the quarter-final against Mali, when he provided an assist in the 2-1 extra-time victory.
He also represented Côte d’Ivoire at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although his playing time decreased during the tournament.
His departure, alongside that of Seri, means Côte d’Ivoire will be without two midfielders who contributed to their most recent continental triumph.
Iñaki Williams: A story of reconnecting with his roots
Iñaki Williams ended his Ghana career four years after choosing to represent the Black Stars.
The Athletic Bilbao forward made 28 appearances for Ghana and scored two goals, featuring at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations as well as two editions of the FIFA World Cup.
Although his goalscoring return for Ghana was modest, Williams’ significance went beyond the numbers, as his story represented that of a player choosing to reconnect with his roots and represent the country of his parents.
His final appearance for Ghana came against Colombia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup before he announced in September that he was bringing his international career to an end.
He also contributed to Ghana reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since 2010.
Ghana’s new generation will now be tasked with continuing the rebuilding process, with a number of young players capable of filling the attacking roles vacated by Williams in a national team with a rich Africa Cup of Nations history and ambitions of returning to the continent’s elite.
A new generation faces a major test
The absence of these names from the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers will open the door for a new generation at several of the continent’s leading national teams.
Mahrez and Mandi were closely associated with the Algeria generation that won the continental title in 2019.
Mendy was one of the symbols of the Senegal side that claimed the country’s first-ever African title, while Seri and Fofana played their part in Côte d’Ivoire’s triumph on home soil in 2023.
Ghana, meanwhile, are entering a new phase following the end of Williams’ international career, at a time when national teams across the continent are increasingly turning to talented young players.
