AFCON 2027: Zacharie Boucher was dropped by Madagascar from the national team roster after backlash over historical remarks, the Malagasy Football Federation (FMF) announced ahead of AFCON qualifiers.
The 34-year-old French-born goalkeeper lost his maiden Barea call-up after an interview from eight years ago resurfaced, prompting an emergency meeting involving the federation and head coach.
The FMF said Boucher made the comments when he was still unaware that he was eligible to represent Madagascar, but officials concluded that retaining him risked team unity and support from the Barea faithful.
"After discussions between the different parties, it was decided not to include the player in the squad for the next Barea gathering," the federation confirmed.
The argument doing the rounds is whether a comment made before Boucher knew of his eligibility should outweigh the need for team harmony, and the federation has plainly sided with unity.
Madagascar must now find another goalkeeper as preparations for the crucial AFCON qualifying matches continue without their most recent call-up.
What happened to Zacharie Boucher?
The FMF excluded Zacharie Boucher from the next Barea squad gathering following public pressure over an interview in which he spoke dismissively about Madagascar and its national setup.
- Player: Zacharie Boucher
- Age: 34
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Decision: Dropped from the next Barea gathering
- Governing body: Malagasy Football Federation
- Competition: Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
Source: Africa Top Sports
