• Serhou Guirassy dreaming of FIFA World Cup 26™ qualification

• Guinea face Algeria, Uganda, Botswana, Mozambique and Somalia

• CAF qualifying phase now under way

"You have to be in the team to understand what it's like to represent Guinea. The support from our fans is indescribable; it's amazing to play for this nation." Although he is now 27-years-old, Serhou Guirassy has only been a Guinea international since last year. Born in Arles, France, the striker represented the country of his birth at youth level before declaring for his parents’ homeland ahead of his first call-up to the Syli National on 10 March 2022. "I could have joined up with Guinea for the last Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, but I wanted to do a full tournament cycle," he explained. "I couldn't see myself coming into the squad without taking part in the qualifiers for the competition." Guirassy’s arrival in the national team coincided with his own rise to prominence. That same year, he left Rennes for VfB Stuttgart, where he began showcasing his talent to the world. This season, Guirassy got off to a blistering start with 16 goals in 10 games, only to be stopped in his tracks by a hamstring injury at the end of October. Since then, he has been overtaken in the season’s Bundesliga scoring charts by a certain Harry Kane. Now back from injury, Guirassy says he is ready to take the next step in his international career as he competes in the African qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time, with a clash against Uganda first on the agenda.

FIFA: Guinea are in Group C alongside Algeria, Uganda, Botswana, Mozambique and Somalia. What are your impressions?

Serhou Guirassy: It’s a tough group with Algeria being favourites. We know their qualities, so we’ll have to manage our games with them very well. In Africa these days, every team is capable of getting results. It’s often said that there are no more weak teams, and that’s especially true on our continent. We’ll be facing quality opponents so we cannot let our guard down. I sincerely believe that we have a chance to qualify but it’ll all come down to performances on the pitch.

The current Syli National generation has some great talent with the likes of Naby Keita, Ilaix Moriba and yourself. What can we expect from Guinea during this qualifying campaign? The goal is to qualify, as we all know how talented this squad is. For this campaign, we’ll look to build on the qualifying journey that took us to the 2023 AFCON even before the final matchday. We understand we're going to have some very tough games, but nothing is easy in our sport. I know we have the mentality to achieve our mission, and I have full confidence in the players and the staff. For the first time in World Cup history, CAF will have a minimum of nine representatives. How do you feel about that? It's great news. African football aspires to be at the highest level. While it’s true no team from our continent have ever been crowned world champions, I believe it will happen. Look at what Morocco achieved last year. We were all in awe, and they showed us the way. Having more African teams at the World Cup increases the chances of seeing performances like that, because we’re certainly capable of it.

What would it mean to you to see Guinea at the World Cup? It's a childhood dream and something I discuss from time to time with other members of the squad. More than a dream, it’s our aspiration to be there. We won't be holding anything back during qualifying and will do everything we can to get there. What are your fondest memories of the World Cup? I grew up with images from France 98 edition but I’d say South Africa 2010, which I followed closely. For me, the World Cup is more than just football. It’s as if the whole world stops for a month. It really is something to be experienced.