Abdoulaye Doucoure has excelled despite enduring some incredibly tough times for Everton over the last two years.
He is chiefly remembered for keeping the Toffees in the English top flight when his second-half goal against Bournemouth on the final day of the season saved them from relegation on a dramatic final day of 2022/23.
The 31-year-old has been one of Sean Dyche's most influential figures for the Toffees and recently signed a new deal until June 2025.
But he stated in November that he would not be heading to the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in January, where Mali are considered dark horses to lift the title.
MORE: AFCON prize money, how much will the winners earn?
Why is Doucoure not at AFCON?
Doucoure had a straightforward answer when he was asked in November about the prospect of a potential call-up for the tournament in Ivory Coast.
“I don’t think I’m going to make the Africa Nations Cup, to be honest,” he was quoted by the Liverpool Echo as replying. “I think I’m going to stay here in an Everton shirt. I don’t want to go."
Has Everton midfielder Doucoure been capped by Mali?
Born in France and capped by Les Bleus at youth levels between 2009 and 2014, Doucoure initially turned down Mali in 2019 but said he remained open to the possibility of playing for them while also aiming to represent the country of his birth at senior level.
Mali called him up for the first time as part of their unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but he is evidently in no rush to add to the two senior caps he won.
“It’s not a big, big decision because I went only one time for the Mali national team," said Doucoure. "I want to focus, really, on my career and on the club.
“I have all the respect for my country, but I am going to stay here."
"WHAT A HIT! WHAT A GOAL!" 🚀@abdoudoucoure16 with the moment that mattered. 💙 pic.twitter.com/C8ekxY4fil
— Everton (@Everton) May 28, 2023
When is the Africa Cup of Nations 2023?
Tournament hosts the Ivory Coast got AFCON 2023 started on January 13, 2024, beating Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in Abidjan.
The group stages end on January 24, with the knockout rounds beginning three days later, and the final is scheduled for February 11.
The full details are listed below.
| Stage | Dates | Nations |
| Group Stage | Jan. 13 — 24 | 24 |
| Round of 16 | Jan. 27 — 30 | 16 |
| Quarterfinals | Feb. 2 — 3 | 8 |
| Semifinals | Feb. 7 | 4 |
| 3rd Place Match | Feb. 10 | 2 |
| Final | Feb. 11 | 2 |
How to watch AFCON 2023
Here's how to watch AFCON 2024 matches across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | beIN Sports | Fubo, beIN Sports Connect, Fanatiz |
| Canada | beIN Sports Canada | Fubo Canada, beIN Sports Connect, Fanatiz |
| UK | Sky Sports, BBC Sport | Sky GO, Now TV, BBC iPlayer |
| Australia | beIN Sports | beIN Sports |
| India | — | FanCode |
