WILFRIED ZAHA has been snapped in Ivory Coast colours for the first time since snubbing England.
SunSport exclusively revealed in November that the Crystal Palace ace was set to change his allegiance despite earning two caps for the Three Lions.
Gareth Southgate was keen to get Zaha involved in the England set-up after some top Premier League performances this season.
But the former Manchester United star stuck to his guns and has now jetted off to represent his new country at the African Cup of Nations.
All eyes will be on Zaha when The Elephants take to the field, and he’s already given fans a glimpse of what’s to come with a picture on social media.
⚽️ #CIV
pic.twitter.com/w2oebxjsjo
— Wilfried Zaha (@wilfriedzaha) January 5, 2017
The shot shows the 24-year-old relaxing on a chair wearing an Ivory Coast training top, accompanied by emojis for ‘love’, ‘football’ and the country’s flag as well as the hashtag #CIV.
FIFA rules state eligible players are allowed to switch nations if they have not been capped in ‘competitive’ fixtures.
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Zaha’s England appearances both came in friendlies, meaning he was able to pick his new side without any issues.
The winger is now expected to feature in a friendly against Sweden on Sunday before taking on Togo, DR Congo and Morocco in the AFCON Group stages.
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