Madagascar has withdrawn French-born goalkeeper Zacharie Boucher from their AFCON 2027 squad after his 2018 comments rejecting the chance to represent the country resurfaced. Boucher had received his first senior Madagascar call-up only two days before the federation withdrew him. The goalkeeper previously represented France at several youth levels but never played for the senior national team. This decision was made by the Malagasy Football Federation following a strong reaction after Boucher's 2018 interview resurfaced online.
In the 2018 interview, Boucher made it clear that he wanted to represent France and rejected the possibility of playing for Madagascar. He stated that he is French and has never been Malagasy, citing his passport as proof. Boucher also emphasized that the France national team shirt is important to him and that he had no plans to play in the Africa Cup of Nations with another country. These comments were made when Boucher was being considered for Madagascar, but he rejected the opportunity.
The Malagasy Football Federation confirmed that Boucher would no longer be part of the squad in a statement. The federation said that coach Corentin Martins was informed of public statements attributed to Boucher, made during an interview conducted several years ago. After discussions between the different parties, it was decided not to include Boucher in the squad for the next Barea gathering. This decision was made on September 19, 2026, just two days after Boucher received his first senior call-up.
Boucher was born in Saint-Pierre, Réunion, and has Malagasy roots. He represented France from youth level through to the Under-21 team but never played for the senior France national team. Madagascar are preparing to face Nigeria away on September 25 before hosting Tanzania on September 29 in Group L of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. The Barea missed the previous Africa Cup of Nations and are looking to return to the tournament.
The withdrawal of Boucher from the squad has sparked a public outcry, with some questioning the way the Malagasy Football Federation handled the situation. Boucher is 34 years old and plays for Troyes. His comments from 2018 have sparked a heated debate about the eligibility of foreign-born players for national teams.
Madagascar coach Corentin Martins had called up Boucher for the upcoming matches against Nigeria and Tanzania. However, the federation's decision to withdraw Boucher has left the team without a experienced goalkeeper. The Barea will have to rely on other goalkeepers to fill the void left by Boucher's withdrawal.
The incident has raised questions about the criteria used to select players for national teams. The Malagasy Football Federation's decision to withdraw Boucher has sparked a wider debate about the eligibility of foreign-born players and the importance of loyalty to national teams.
Key points
- Madagascar withdraws Zacharie Boucher from AFCON 2027 squad over 2018 comments.
- Boucher had rejected chance to represent Madagascar in 2018 interview.
- Incident sparks debate about eligibility of foreign-born players for national teams.
