Ivory Coast Recent World Cup Performances
Year Stage of Exit
2010 Eliminated at Group Stage
2006 Eliminated at Group Stage
2002 Did not qualify 1998 Did not qualify
1994 Did not qualify
1990 Did not qualify
Ivory Coast can be an odd team to weigh up. They have some extremely average (or worse) players yet they have a handful of world class talents. They’ve underperformed at many recent major tournaments, especially at the African Cup of Nations, but they can be forgiven a group stage exit at the last World Cup having been drawn alongside Brazil and Portugal. They’ve got an easier draw this time around and they should have more than enough in their locker to finish above Japan and Greece who have been poor at recent World Cups. Didier Drogba was world class in his day but he’s getting on a bit now.
He is still capable of getting a couple of goals but Ivory Coast’s main goal scoring duties could fall upon Salomon Kalou. He was the top scorer for Ivory Coast in qualifying, albeit narrowly, and has always had a good eye for goal at club level. Ivory Coast deserve some credit as they were one of only two teams to qualify from Africa unbeaten. However many would expect that of a team that on paper is so strong. Ivory Coast will be a team that many want to avoid at the World Cup but they’ll need to step up their game to trouble the better teams. He 36-year-old Drogba has been a talismanic figure for his country, leading them to the last two World Cups and five successive African Nations Cup finals, but he is in the twilight of his career after scoring 61 goals in 99 appearances.
This is however of little importance as The Elephants have gone through 5 games without Didier Drogba scoring. The likes of Solomon Kalou have carried the burden of goal scoring having scored 7 in the qualifiers and with Winifred Bony, lacuna Traore and a host of other young strikers, Ivory coast do not have too much to think about. Salomon Kalou and Gervinho provide other options as the dependency on Drogba has dissipated over the past 18 months. In South Africa four years ago they drew against Portugal, lost to Brazil and beat North Korea but four points was not enough to progress. With teams such as japan, Greece and Colombia in the group, The Ivorian’s have a better chance of picking up decent results.
To at least claim a second spot in the group. Should they go beyond that stage the African giants will now need to beat England, Uruguay or Italy. It will not be easy for any side, but when the best players put out their best feet in Brazil, there is no stopping The Elephants of Ivory coast. Toure, Kalou, Gervinho and co owe Didier Drogba an incredible tournament, they owe Africa a good representation.
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