IVORY Coast will take a team laden with attacking talent to the World Cup and are hoping to make a big impact in their first appearance at the tournament since 2014.
Coach Emerse Fae has said that his squad have the potential to succeed at the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
“My goal is to go far in this competition with my team. We are not going to the U.S. for a vacation,” Fae said.
“I believe Ivory Coast has the potential to achieve something exceptional. Why not aim for the final?”
That might be slightly ambitious but not many sides will fancy playing against the Ivorians, who will face Curacao, Ecuador and former world champions Germany in the group stage.
Ivory Coast have won two Africa Cup of Nations titles since their last World Cup finals appearance in Brazil, which marked the end of a golden generation of players including Didier Drogba, Gervinho and Toure brothers Kolo and Yaya.
There is not the same profile of players now but plenty of ability in the squad, not least teenager attacker Yan Diomande, plus Simon Adingra and Amad Diallo of Manchester United.
Fae has persuaded two former France Under-21 internationals — Ange-Yoan Bonny from Italian champions Inter Milan and Nice’s Elye Wahi — to switch allegiance, and the recall of former Arsenal striker Nicolas Pepe adds to the competition in the forward department.
Defender Ousmane Diomande, who has been linked with a move to the Premier League, is also a stalwart and a workmanlike midfield marshalled by captain Frank Kessie, previously at AC Milan and Barcelona, and Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare add to the team’s balance.
The Ivorians showed much fortitude two years ago when they won the African title on home soil after almost being eliminated in the first round and changing coaches midway through the tournament.
That is when Fae took over, promoted from assistant coach and given his first senior job. Around 30 months later, he is not only a continental champion but heading to the World Cup, in which he played in 2006.
“Our mindset is to show that we can make history at a global tournament,” Fae said.
