This Ivory Coast World Cup squad is capable of doing something substantial in South Africa. But when will all the promise transform into genuine international achievement?
That is the question on the lips of many Elephants fans going into another major tournament. January's quarter-final exit to Algeria In the African Nations Cup prompted the national federation - the FIF - to part company with Vahid Halilhodzic (by fax) and they have since replaced him with Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Big things were expected of Ivory Coast at the last World Cup, but they exited at the first hurdle in a fiendish group containing Argentina, Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro. Against Argentina and Netherlands, Ivory Coast conceded all their goals in the first-half and despite hitting back, they went down to 2-1 defeats in both encounters.
Once again they face the cream of South America, this time in the form of Brazil. Portugal, meanwhile, are the European representatives, and with North Korea making up the foursome, the group is only a little easier than four years ago.
Captain and record scorer Didier Drogba is in arguably the best form of his career, while Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has the ability to be one of the top performers at the World Cup if he can carry his dominant midfield displays over to South Africa. The talent is certainly there, but with the likes of Drogba, Kolo Toure and Didier Zokora advancing in years, the time is ripe.
Quick Facts:
- Best World Cup Result: First-Round (2006)
- Best African Nations Cup Result: Winners (1992)
- Record Scorer: Didier Drogba
- Most Capped Player: Didier Zokora
- Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson
- Captain: Didier Drogba
23-man Ivory Coast World Cup Squad:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Aristides Zogbo (Maccabi Netanya), Daniel Yeboah (Asec)
Defenders: Souleymane Bamba (Hibernian), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes), Guy Demel (Hamburg), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Steve Gohouri (Wigan Athletic), Siaka Tiene (Valenciennes), Kolo Toure (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jean-Jacques Gosso Gosso(Monaco), Abdelkader Keita (Galatasaray), Emmanuel Kone (International Curtea Arges), Gervinho (Lille), Koffi N'Dri Romaric (Sevilla), Cheik Ismael Tiote (Twente Enschede), Yaya Toure (Barcelona), Didier Zokora (Sevilla)
Forwards: Aruna Dindane (Lekhwiya), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Bakary Kone (Olympique Marseille)
Group Matches:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 v PortugalSunday, June 20, 2010 v Brazil
Friday, June 25, 2010 v North Korea
Prediction: First-Round
It is imperative that Ivory Coast get off to a good start in the most appetizing of the opening matches against Portugal. This is the group’s key game and if they can win it, a place in the second-round would surely be theirs.But that is a big 'if'. Portugal are seasoned campaigners in major tournaments and Ivory Coast's ill fortune in landing another tough group may cost them again. Cristiano Ronaldo's men to progress.
To find out more about the tournament, visit the World Cup section.
