Premier League starlet explains Portugal snub: 'France is the goal'

Eli Junior Kroupi has made it clear that he intends to represent France at international level, ruling out any possibility of switching allegiance to Portugal after being linked with the Seleção ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

"I've always played for France's youth teams. I was born in France, I started playing football in France, so I don't see myself stepping into a culture I don't know. Obviously, the French national team is the goal," the Bournemouth forward told DAZN.

Ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the prospect of the forward turning out for Portugal emerged following a standout debut campaign in the Premier League. Portugal boss Roberto Martínez confirmed at the time that there had been interest, but revealed the youngster had already expressed his desire to play for Les Bleus.

"We were in touch before the March camp. It is important to monitor players who are eligible to represent the national team and want to play for us. Junior wanted to play for France and we respected that—it's a closed chapter for us," the Portugal manager explained.

Born in France and of French-Ivorian heritage, Kroupi has represented France across various youth age groups, from the Under-16s through to the Under-21s. However, he was also eligible for Portugal through his mother and grandmother, as well as Ivory Coast through his father.

His international decision follows a breakthrough campaign on the South Coast with Bournemouth. Last season, the forward finished as the club's top scorer with 13 goals in 35 appearances, notably netting five in the final five league games of the season.

He is currently in the final stages of recovery from a serious foot injury picked up in pre-season that required surgery, with a return to first-team action expected in November.