Côte d'Ivoire head coach Emerse Faé has issued a stern warning to his squad ahead of Thursday night's FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage encounter with Curaçao, urging his players to bring the same intensity they showed in their opening two matches.

The Elephants enter the game with their Round of 32 qualification still within reach. Faé's side edged Ecuador 1-0 in their opener before suffering a 2-1 defeat to Germany, leaving them needing a positive result to advance to the knockout stage.

No room for complacency

Despite Curaçao's status as World Cup debutants, Faé was adamant that his players must not underestimate the opposition. He drew a direct line between their performance in previous games and what will be required on Thursday.