Wilfried Zaha insists he has no regrets in choosing to play for Ivory Coast after England 'rejection'

Zaha committed his international career to the Ivory Coast in 2016

'It was just like I was rejected from the England side. I didn't get picked or even get a look in for four years' (Getty)

Wilfried Zaha says he was rejected by England but insists he has no regrets about later choosing to play for the Ivory Coast.

The 24-year-old played regularly for England’s U21 team and went on to earn caps against Sweden, in November 2012, and Scotland, in August 2013.

But because neither game was a competitive fixture, Zaha, who was subsequently overlooked for England selection, eventually committed his international career to the Ivory Coast having been born in Abidjan.

Although the Ivory Coast missed out on a spot at this summer’s World Cup in Russia, the Crystal Palace winger insists he’s happy with his career choice.

"It was just like I was rejected from the England side," Zaha told CNN Sport. "I didn't get picked or even get a look in for four years.

"Four years in football is a long time so it's like there's no regret at all. No one even thought about me at all. And Ivory Coast, even though I told them no, they still had the belief in me and still wanted me because they knew what I could do for the team.

"Obviously we may not be in the World Cup but it's just a learning curve. From there, what we need to do is just get better and hopefully try and get into the next one.

"As for me not playing for England, I've got no regret at all. I'm happy with the decision I made."