Betting odds Ivory Coast

Manager: Sven Goran Eriksson
Captain: Didier Drogba
FIFA World Ranking: 25
World Cup Appearances: 1
Best World Cup: Round 1 – 2006 

Ivory Coast Team Profile

The Ivory Coast, or Côte d’Ivoire as they are sometimes known, have taken over the African powerhouse mantle from the likes of Cameroon & Nigeria and have rapidly become a force to be reckoned with in International football. Spearheaded by Chelsea‘s very own offensive giant, Didier Drogba will captain Les Elephants into South Africa aiming to not only become the first nation to win a World Cup on African soil, but to also become the first African nation ever to lift the most coveted prize in international football – The FIFA World Cup. Some, many in fact, see the Ivory Coast as the only African team likely to make any serious in roads during the summer, with their powerful options all around the pitch making them one of the most complete teams on the circuit, let alone in their own continent.

The team sporting their famous party orange colours will be enjoying just their second feel of a World Cup after their first appearance occurred just four years ago in Germany. Very few actually knew what the Ivory Coast were actually about back then, and despite exiting at just the group stage of the tournament they were already shaping up as one of the more promising nations, a team everyone would keep a close eye on in South Africa the following tournament. So, it was somewhat fitting that with all the expectation surrounding them, Les Elephants would receive yet another immensely difficult draw, once again being thrown in at the deep end with the ‘Group of Death‘. Will their experience of being in Germany’s Group of Death alongside Argentina, Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro serve them well as they aim to bypass the group stages of the competition for the very first time, reaching new heights in the process.

Nickname: Les Elephants

Ivory Coast Key Players

The Ivory Coast have seemingly come from nowhere but signs of their existence have been all around us, with several of their big names, their stars players plying their trade over in England. In fact no less than six of their regular starters strut their stuff in the English Football League’s, so the fact Les Elephants have crept up on us from out of the blue is our own fault for not doing sufficient amount of research. This time, ahead of South Africa 2010, we’ve done our homework and are pleased to say, we like what we see:

Didier Drogba, Chelsea’s most prolific forward and Ivory Coast’s inspirational leader. Drogba has been an integral cog in the Ivory Coast machine for more than eight years now, boasting one of the better scoring averages around; 66 Caps, 43 Goals. He plays the exact same role for his country that he does for Chelsea, leading from the front with his muscular and, dare we say it, awe-inspiring figure, smashing his way through even the strongest of defences. He’s definitely one of the best strikers on the block right now, while when he’s in top form and raced up the gears, some would even argue that Drogba isn’t just the best striker on the planet, he’s close to unstoppable. His rangy, muscular figure; standing in at 6ft 2in, allows him to hold the ball up without much of a fuss from the opposing defenders, while he also towers above most defenders from crosses. The strength of the guy is immense, often racing through the penalty area without a flinch, but it’s been his ability to score not only with ease but with alarming regularity which has given Drogba the reputation he has today of being one of the world’s most feared strikers.

However, unlike most African teams, the Ivory Coast aren’t just a one man band, although Didier Drogba does often take the limelight with his goalscoring prowess. Even so, Les Elephants are actually a nifty little outfit and boast some uniquely gifted and highly talented individuals all across the field. In defence they have Kolo Toure; a Man City defender/midfielder who’s not only well equipped to defend against the some of the best forwards in the world, he can also stride forward and make a real impact in the attacking third of the pitch. Another defender well know and well liked in the Premier League is Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue, who like Toure isn’t afraid to bomb forward but also has the necessary defensive skills and know-how to compete against the very best. For those of you who associated with West Brom, Abdoulaye Meita is a regular in the Ivory Coast set up after making 49 appearances in defence, while Sol Bamba of Hibernian (Scotland) looks likely to travel with the squad as well.

The midfield in fairness isn’t where the magic happens but where Les Elephants get their all round solid feel to them, with Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure, brother of Kolo, providing a safety blanket for the defence in the holding roles, but like most of the Ivory Coast defence, these two are more than capable of striding forward and having their say in the final third, although goals have been rare for the pair.

Bakary Kone, Gervinho and Aruna Dindane all provide Eriksson with an abundance of pace on the flanks, but it’s the forward paring of Drogba and Kalou which is likely to pave the way for a successful campaign in South Africa, although the pair did only account for 8 of Ivory Coast’s 29 goals in qualifying which means Les Elephants aren’t just a one man band and that everyone has their role and maintains the standard set by influential captain, Didier Drogba.

Manager

The one thing you could argue is Sven Goran Eriksson, for all his off-pitch melodramatics with the English media, does pack a punch with his international experience, with Sven racking up six years of international football (Five years with the England senior team) while he’s a man which has been in the managerial business for a staggering 33 years, so for all his critics, Sven has certainly been around the block and tasted his fair share of highs as well as lows.

Of course, the first thing English fans think of when they here the almost dreaded name of Sven Goran Eriksson is his famous ‘sex scandal’ – Mainly because it’s cringe worthy stuff, however, proper die-hard English fans will often forget at first sight that Sven was the man paid to guide England to great heights as England coach and flopped badly, only reaching the quarter-finals in Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup after the hype back home demanded at least a semi-final appearance. If truth be told, despite being paid a staggering good wage, Sven massively disappointed during his spell as England coach while he left the same impression on Mexico, and after a year at the Mexico helm Sven was also giving the boot for failing to improve the international side. In fact, he left Mexico on their knees and in deep trouble in regards to how they were performing at the time.

Quite how he has managed to squirm his way into the Ivory Coast post we don’t yet know, probably a wife or two was involved somewhere, but either way, Sven is still a wise, knowledgable and tactically sound manager and for Les Elephants, isn’t all bad an appointment if we’re completely honest. Quite how Didier Drogba and the Toure brothers will take to him we aren’t too sure, while the fact he’s only had a matter of weeks to prepare the team and stamp his own flavour on them is a big concern of us.

Strengths

An intimidating offence fronted by Didier Drogba makes Ivory Coast one of the most formidable attacking forces in South Africa. An abundance of pace and strength makes for a rugged offensive set up, one which through qualifying steamrollered their opponents after scoring 29 goals in a lengthy 12 game qualifying procedure. Drogba was of course the star man overall after scoring 6 goals in 5 qualifiers, but it’s the sheer fact Les Elephants have goals in them all around the pitch, with Kone, Kalou, Sekou Cisse Gervinho and Boubacar Sonogo all getting in on the scoring action in qualifying, highlighting the fact Ivory Coast will genuinely be an attack to be reckoned with.

Moreover, the pace at which they attack especially down the wings through Kone, Gervinho, Aruna Dindane and Sekou Cisse. It’s frightening at times at how at ease the Ivory Coast forwards play.

Weaknesses

There isn’t a whole lot wrong with the Ivory Coast if truth be told except that experience, despite some ageing players within their ranks, is missing as 2010 will be just their second appearance in the finals of a World Cup. Those who partook in Germany’s 2006 finals and flopped at the group stage will have taken some valuable experience out of a disappointing tournament, and that might serve them well in South Africa in the knowledge that the losing, defeated feeling isn’t something they want to experience any time soon.

Our second niggle is with the fact that despite scoring plenty of goals throughout qualifying, more than any other African nation, Ivory Coast haven’t yet pitted their big guns up against some of the world’s more equipped defences. In South Africa, they’ll come up against both Brazil and Portugal, both of whom will provide more than adequate testing of both their attack and their defending. Basically, while impressing in qualifying, the Ivory Coast are still exposed heading to South Africa in regards to the inferiority of the opponents they’ve faced in recent matches.

Ivory Coast Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa

Group: E

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 5-1-0

Goals Scored: 19

Goals Conceded: 4

Ivory Coast Qualifying statistics:

• The Ivory Coast were one of just two nations in Africa to finish qualifying unbeaten, winning five, with their only dropped points coming away in Burkina Faso in a 1-1 draw. 
• Despite playing just five times, Didider Drogba finished as Ivory Coast’s top goalscorer with six goals, averaging just over a goal a game.
• Didier Zokora & Emmanuel Eboue played all of Ivory Coast’s 12 qualifiers, although it was Zokora who played every single minute of qualifying.
• Ivory Coast certainly took full advantage of playing at home as they won all three of their group qualifiers, scoring 13 whilst keeping a clean sheet in all three.

World Cup Potential: 4/5

We feel the Ivory Coast could be a big player this summer, barring injuries to key players. They really do look fearful on the attack, with Didier Drogba spear heading their forward plays, while they performed particularly well in defence. However, there are reservations over that defence as they haven’t yet been tested by any real quality. However, should they pass the test posed by some of the worlds finest attackers then Sven Goran Eriksson’s side could be the surprise package next summer, although, most people now know of the talent surrounding the Ivory Coast now, so perhaps it won’t be much of a surprise when they do perform well.

Ivory Coast World Cup Betting Odds

Ivory Coast to win the World Cup: 40/1 – Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Ivory Coast were 40/1 

Official Ivory Coast World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Boubacar Barry (KSC Lokeren)

Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Mimosas)

Aristide Zogbo (Maccabi Netanya)

Defenders

Souleymane Bamba (Hibernian FC)

Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart)

Emmanuel Eboué (Arsenal)

Siaka Tiené (Valenciennes)

Kolo Touré (Manchester City)

Steve Gohouri (Wigan Athletic)

Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes)

Guy Demel (Hamburg SV)

Midfielders

Romaric (FC Seville)

Yaya Touré (Barcelona)

Didier Zokora (FC Seville)

Jean-Jacques Gosso (AS Monaco)

Emmanuel Koné (FC International Curtea de Arges)

Cheik Tioté (FC Twente Enschede)

Strikers

Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Aruna Dindane (Portsmouth)

Seydou Doumbia (Young Boys Bern)

Salomon Kalou (Chelsea)

Abdulkader Keita (Galatasaray Istanbul)

Gervinho (OSC Lille)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Ivory Coast Fixtures – Group G

World Cup 2010 Group G - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Brazil draw level with Spain in World Cup Odds

After Spain’s loss to Switzerland, both they and Brazil now can be taken for the same price to win the World Cup, 11/2 at SkyBet. Sunday’s big World Cup match sees the mighty Brazil v Ivory Coast, in what should attract a wealth of World Cup Betting. Brazil opened their 2010 account with a 2-1 victory over North Korea, in a game which saw them dominate, against a hard working Asian side, which was a lot more disciplined than most people would have imagined. The North Koreans went into the match not promising anything spectacular really in the battle between the World’s best side and the lowest ranked team in the tournament. However, the North Koreans gave a good account of themselves with 10 men behind the ball most of the time, but hustled and harried the Brazilians, closing out all the space on the pitch, so that the Brazilians were very limited. Not until right back Maicon broke the deadline early in the second half did the Korean resistance break, and then had the gusto to steal away down the other end of the pitch with a couple of minutes to go to get a consolation. While the scoreline was close, the game wasn’t really. Brazil were never in any danger of letting it get away, and for a World Cup opener they will be happy. The Brazilians had a quiet build up to the tournament, not playing anywhere near as many international friendlies as other nations in their preparations, so coach Dunga was happy to get that one out of the way and move on. Brazil are a little unique under Dunga, who named his squad and starting eleven, well in advance of the FIFA deadline. The squad numbers run from 1 to 11 in the side which he put out, indicating that he knows who his best eleven are, and he is not afraid to let the rest of the squad now. You really have to earn your stripes to make your way into the current Brazilian side. The strengths of Brazil were on show in their opener, the creative passing, and the speed and adventure of the full backs. The movement off the ball was as good as the movement on it, and while Kaka had a quiet game, one man who didn’t was striker Robinho. The Manchester City forward looked simply amazing with the ball at his feet. He deliberately took the ball into tight situations, and with mesmerising trickery always got the ball to fellow player. The space he created was magnificent, and his pass to release Elano for the second goal was sublime. His was one of the best performances of the first round of matches. Now Brazil expect to have a lot more space against the Ivory Coast on Sunday, which should suit their passing game even more. The Koreans pretty much shut up shop for most of the match, but the Ivory Coast will pose a threat up front. This is a good test for Brazil against an awkward side, but nothing they should not be able to handle. Dunga is confident, and the players looked confident, respectful of their opposition and delighted with their win. There was no complacency, no bravado, just a quiet efficiency with an air of menace bubbling under the surface. Brazil will know that the Ivory Coast probably will present them the most problems off all of their group rivals, as they will face physical challenges that Korea and Portugal won’t bring.

Brazil World Cup Betting. Even though this will be a step up in terms of quality for them, you would still fancy Brazil to win. There have been upsets at the World Cup 2010 so far, but Brazil falling would really be the biggest. They are organised, strong in defence, and tactically sound. With more space to play they will be even more dangerous, as the Ivory Coast will play a more expansive game than the North Koreans, naturally. Outright betting on the win should be a safe enough bet, and look for anytime goal scorers for Fabiano and Robinho.

Brazil World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W1, D0, L0
GF/GA: 2/1
Cards: Y1, R0
Most Shots: Robinho, 6
Top Scorer: Elano, Maicon, 1
Shots/On Goal: 26/10
Fouls Committed: 9
Total Passes: 715
Pass Completion: 83%
Last 5 Form: WWWWW

Drogba ready to start and star for Les Elephants

Talisman Didier Drogba could well start the match as his country goes into battle against South American champions Brazil. Drogba, who’s arm was broken prior to the World Cup, came on for 25 minutes in their dour 0-0 draw against Portugal and did not seem to be troubled by his surgery-repaired arm. That will bring much good news for the Ivory Coast as they look to take on their toughest challenge of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Ivory Coast looked a much more stable side under ex-England boss Sven Goran-Eriksson. There were questions whether Eriksson’s pragmatic and cautious approach would be a good fit for the golden generation of the Ivory Coast’s players, but you could see his influence over his side, as the Ivory Coast were happy to sit, consolidate and hope for the one break which would bring them success. But not even the introduction of Drogba could make the break through in a match which was sadly devoid of goalmouth action, and failed to live up to the promise of an exciting Drogba v Cristiano Ronaldo match up. Eriksson will again put out a side which will try and contain the Brazilians, knowing that a second point for them would not be a disaster in the group, with the North Koreans still to come from them. Les Elephants showed a much tighter, more solid defence against Portugal than they had showed at the African Cup of Nations, and that can be credited to Eriksson. They will that defence to remain calm and steady as the Brazilians will attack them from all angles of the pitch. There is the potential for this to be one of the most exciting matches of the second round of matches, and has the potential for plenty of goals. But the Ivory Coast will probably try and suffocate the Brazilians early on, ceding ground to the more talented side. But with Drogba in the team, he gives good options for going long up front, and he will battle hard against the Brazilian defence, which contains probably the best central defender in the world, Lucio. That will be a fascinating battle to watch, and could be one of the main keys to the game. There is a lot at stake for Les Elephants, as the likes of Drogba are likely to be around for the next World Cup. This generation of players have promised a lot down the years but have failed to deliver. Will Eriksson be the missing link, and lend the World Cup another upset by plotting the downfall of Brazil?

Ivory Coast World Cup Betting: The Ivory Coast would probably be very happy with a draw from this one to be honest, and therefore backing them at a Draw No Bet, would be a brave but very interesting bet. Brazil look solid enough to beat the African nation, but you never know with Drogba on the pitch. It may only take one chance for him, and with the defence looking a lot more organised, there are just the faint callings of an upset. Brazil will press hard in order to ensure qualification from the group, and this could be a real battle. Always worth looking at Didier Drogba for an anytime scorer, especially if he is from the start, as he is the free-kick taker and the biggest menace in the Ivory Coast side.

Ivory Coast World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W0, D1, L0
GF/GA: 0/0
Cards: Y2, R0
Most Shots: Several, 1
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 5/1
Fouls Committed: 18
Total Passes: 458
Pass Completion: 76%
Last 5 Form: DLDWD

Brazil v Ivory Coast Betting Odds

Brazil to win: 4/6 at Bet365
Draw: 14/5 at Boylesports
Ivory Coast to win: 5/1 at Totesport

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Not a lot of choice around on this one really, as Brazil are clear favourites to win this match, and quite comfortably looking at the World Cup odds here. The 4/6 outright price above is not too bad on them to win the match really, but for a little more you can shoot for them winning by two goals, and if they only manage to win by one, you’ll get your stake back. Decent value.
Brazil -1 for 13/10 at Paddy Power
 

Current Brazil V Ivory Coast Odds:

There is generally a team which comes out of the shadows of the major players at the World Cup, to bring some unexpected joy to the greatest football tournament on Earth. Naturally betting will lean towards the World Cup favourites of Spain and Brazil, and that is understandable, considering that realistically, the winners of the tournament will only come from a very short list of about half a dozen teams. It is hard to look beyond Spain, brazil, Argentina, England, Germany and Italy to find a winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as however strong the dark horses may be, it is generally never strong enough to reach the final and then win it. So what do you do with dark horse betting at the World Cup? What makes a team a dark horse? A dark horse in betting is a team or competitor who possesses a lot of potential talent to beat top opposition, but there is usually some flaw which stops them being a major favourite. When it comes to international football, that flaw could be inexperience, the reliance upon one or two major stars only or something like historic big match stage fright. So if you are looking at a World Cup betting promotion and wondering if its worth backing a dark horse, here are some things to consider:

If you draw a dark horse out of your 2010 FIFA World Cup sweepstakes, then fine, you will be relatively happy with an outside shot. But is it worth backing one of these dark horses as outright winners, over the likes of Brazil or Spain? Probably not, as history won’t back up that bet very well. There have only been seven different winners of the World Cup, that shows how hard it is to win it. To do so remember, you have to beat the World, and if you aren’t favourite going into the tournament, then you already have an uphill struggle. As strong as the large contingent from Europe seem, like Portugal, Holland, England and Germany, even these are relative outside bets when looking at the Outright Winner of the World Cup. So imagine how far back a dark horse would be. But that does not mean that they should be ignored, as there are plenty of other betting markets available to back these unknown quantities. Here are the top three World Cup bets on dark horses.

Serbia
Individual World Cup Fixtures betting can turn up some great odds, if  you can pick a World Cup dark horse out of the crowd. Serbia are quietly regarded as being one of the strongest dark horses of the World Cup, and being in a group with Germany, Ghana and Australia, there is a realistic chance of them qualifying, even topping the group. Why? Because group favourite Germany are by no means infallible in this group, even though they have great pedigree and usually come through unscathed on the world stage. Remember that Serbia finished ahead of France in their qualification group. It is the group betting which provides great opportunities on World Cup dark horse odds. Serbia are in a prime position to take advantage in a group where the teams on paper look evenly matched. Of all the teams which are considered dark horses here, the most has been said, albeit understated, about the chances of Serbia. England fans should take note of Serbia, because they could potentially meet England in the second round. Led by Radomir Antic, Serbia favour an attacking style of play, something which paid dividends during qualifying. The technical ability is there too, and a defence led by Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, they are solid in all aspects of the game. They also have a tall Peter Crouch type weapon up front in Nikola Zigic.

Chile
Ran a great qualification campaign to finish second to Brazil in the South American zone. Coached by Marcelo Biesla, the Chile national team has come on leaps and bounds since he took over. It has been plain sailing though, as the Biesla introduced a new style of play, once which has made them phenomenally strong all over the pitch. They have the flair expected from a South American team, but they also can battle and dig deep when needed. They were overshadowed by Brazil in both of their qualification encounters, but again looking at a World Cup dark horse betting from a point of view from, they are a good outside bet in the group stages. They are in a group with Spain, Switzerland and Honduras, and not suggesting that they could beat European Champions to top spot, but they would make a solid bet to qualify. They have a great team ethic and at stages during South American qualification, they really were rolling on a wave of great form. They have only won seven of their previous twenty five World Cup matches, but they should be more than capable of chalking up a few more in the win column this year round. The draw has not been that kind to them, and they do have a lot of young talent, which is why they are not worth backing for Outright winner, for they would need to probably beat Spain and Brazil in order to get to the quarter finals.

The Ivory Coast
What difference will Sven Goran-Eriksson make to the national side? Will this increase their chances of progressing from a tough group? They have a wealth of talent available to them, including talisman and winner of the Premier League’s Golden Boot, Didier Drogba. Their strength is in their star players, which come from all across Europe, but that has also been their downfall, in a largely underachieving side. One criticism about the Ivory Coast, clearly on display at the African Cup of Nations, is that they were not able to play together well as a team. Whether this is simply a case of superstars not being able to play together, or the fault of the previous manager in not being able to get them to play together, could be revealed at the World Cup. Their opening salvo must be a firm one against the slightly unpredictable Portuguese. A win there could set them up for progress through to the second round, as long as they can subdue any egos and be efficient against the minnows of the group, Korea DPR. They are not likely to pose a threat to Brazil winning the group, but they make an interesting World Cup dark horse bet, simply because there is the added unknown quantity of the new coach involved. Even if they finish second, then they will probably run into Spain. Not a great position for them, but watch out for them, nonetheless.

Picking out a dark horse for the World Cup simply does not mean picking a team to win the tournament outright. Explore World Cup Betting at Bet365 for example, and you will see the magnitude of bets already available. While there is nothing wrong with plumping for the underdog, don’t be blinded by the long odds on teams like this to be victories at South Africa 2010, but do investigate Group Outright, To Qualify and of course individual match betting. These are the kind of teams which may not grab the headlines, but are great shots for taking second place in the group, and then beyond that, who knows?

Former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson will be back in the hot seat at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After leading England unsuccessfully through two World Cup’s, the amicable Swede is back on the international scene with Didier Drogba and the Ivory Coast. After sacking their coach following a miserable African Cup of Nations campaign which they attended as favourites, the Ivory Coast, or the Elephants as they are more affectionately known as, went on the search for a new man to lead them at the World Cup. After much debate and names being put forward such as Mark Hughes, Guus Hiddink and Bernd Schuster, the honour fell to Sven Goran Eriksson after holding talks between the two parties as far back as three weeks ago. They finalised more discussions last week, before the Ivory Coast officially announced their decision.

The Ivory Coast are seen as the main threat coming from the African continent, on which the World Cup is historically being held for the first time. Along with Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon and hosts South Africa, the continent is well represented. The Ivory Coast, led by Chelsea’s formidable striker Didier Drogba, were expected to sweep all before them in the African Cup of Nations, simply because they are the African teams of stars. Unfortunately they played like individual stars and not as a team, going out of the competition to the youngsters of Ghana. The current Ivory Coast team has been playing together for a long time now, and it is that, which is expected to carry them the furthest of the World Cup participants from Africa. Their poor showing at the African Cup of Nations, and a tough World Cup draw, has fuelled less optimism about their chances. Betting on the Ivory Coast at the World Cup will simply be an outside bet.

Unfortunately for the Ivory Coast, they landed themselves a tough draw in Group G along with Brazil and Portugal, so new boss Sven Goran Eriksson is going to have his hands full trying to get them out of that group. What does Eriksson’s appointment meant for the Ivory Coast? Sven was always cautious in his approach to the World Cup when he was at the helm with England, and perhaps it is that which may serve the Ivorians better to progress, or will his defensive European style simply not suit the more attacking flair of the Côte d’Ivoire? He will come up against the two sides which ended his World Cup dreams. Brazil knocked his England side out of the 2002 World Cup, and Portugal ended England’s hopes at World Cup 2006. This is a major chance for some revenge for Eriksson, and may have been at the back of his mind in taking the job. World Cup betting at BetFred has the Ivory Coast at 10/11 to Qualify from Group G.

Eriksson’s first match at the World Cup will be one of huge pressure against Portugal, which is being classed as the decider for the Group G Runner’s Up spot behind Brazil. If the Ivory Coast and new boss Sven Goran Eriksson manage to play their way out of Group G, then it is more than possible that the Wolrd Cip fixtures could see Eriksson face England in the Quarter Final stages of the World Cup. The two sides have not encountered each other before.

Manager: Sven Goran Eriksson
Captain: Didier Drogba
FIFA World Ranking: 25
World Cup Appearances: 1
Best World Cup: Round 1 – 2006 

Ivory Coast Team Profile

The Ivory Coast, or Côte d’Ivoire as they are sometimes known, have taken over the African powerhouse mantle from the likes of Cameroon & Nigeria and have rapidly become a force to be reckoned with in International football. Spearheaded by Chelsea‘s very own offensive giant, Didier Drogba will captain Les Elephants into South Africa aiming to not only become the first nation to win a World Cup on African soil, but to also become the first African nation ever to lift the most coveted prize in international football – The FIFA World Cup. Some, many in fact, see the Ivory Coast as the only African team likely to make any serious in roads during the summer, with their powerful options all around the pitch making them one of the most complete teams on the circuit, let alone in their own continent.

The team sporting their famous party orange colours will be enjoying just their second feel of a World Cup after their first appearance occurred just four years ago in Germany. Very few actually knew what the Ivory Coast were actually about back then, and despite exiting at just the group stage of the tournament they were already shaping up as one of the more promising nations, a team everyone would keep a close eye on in South Africa the following tournament. So, it was somewhat fitting that with all the expectation surrounding them, Les Elephants would receive yet another immensely difficult draw, once again being thrown in at the deep end with the ‘Group of Death‘. Will their experience of being in Germany’s Group of Death alongside Argentina, Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro serve them well as they aim to bypass the group stages of the competition for the very first time, reaching new heights in the process.

Nickname: Les Elephants

Ivory Coast Key Players

The Ivory Coast have seemingly come from nowhere but signs of their existence have been all around us, with several of their big names, their stars players plying their trade over in England. In fact no less than six of their regular starters strut their stuff in the English Football League’s, so the fact Les Elephants have crept up on us from out of the blue is our own fault for not doing sufficient amount of research. This time, ahead of South Africa 2010, we’ve done our homework and are pleased to say, we like what we see:

Didier Drogba, Chelsea’s most prolific forward and Ivory Coast’s inspirational leader. Drogba has been an integral cog in the Ivory Coast machine for more than eight years now, boasting one of the better scoring averages around; 66 Caps, 43 Goals. He plays the exact same role for his country that he does for Chelsea, leading from the front with his muscular and, dare we say it, awe-inspiring figure, smashing his way through even the strongest of defences. He’s definitely one of the best strikers on the block right now, while when he’s in top form and raced up the gears, some would even argue that Drogba isn’t just the best striker on the planet, he’s close to unstoppable. His rangy, muscular figure; standing in at 6ft 2in, allows him to hold the ball up without much of a fuss from the opposing defenders, while he also towers above most defenders from crosses. The strength of the guy is immense, often racing through the penalty area without a flinch, but it’s been his ability to score not only with ease but with alarming regularity which has given Drogba the reputation he has today of being one of the world’s most feared strikers.

However, unlike most African teams, the Ivory Coast aren’t just a one man band, although Didier Drogba does often take the limelight with his goalscoring prowess. Even so, Les Elephants are actually a nifty little outfit and boast some uniquely gifted and highly talented individuals all across the field. In defence they have Kolo Toure; a Man City defender/midfielder who’s not only well equipped to defend against the some of the best forwards in the world, he can also stride forward and make a real impact in the attacking third of the pitch. Another defender well know and well liked in the Premier League is Arsenal’s Emmanuel Eboue, who like Toure isn’t afraid to bomb forward but also has the necessary defensive skills and know-how to compete against the very best. For those of you who associated with West Brom, Abdoulaye Meita is a regular in the Ivory Coast set up after making 49 appearances in defence, while Sol Bamba of Hibernian (Scotland) looks likely to travel with the squad as well.

The midfield in fairness isn’t where the magic happens but where Les Elephants get their all round solid feel to them, with Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure, brother of Kolo, providing a safety blanket for the defence in the holding roles, but like most of the Ivory Coast defence, these two are more than capable of striding forward and having their say in the final third, although goals have been rare for the pair.

Bakary Kone, Gervinho and Aruna Dindane all provide Eriksson with an abundance of pace on the flanks, but it’s the forward paring of Drogba and Kalou which is likely to pave the way for a successful campaign in South Africa, although the pair did only account for 8 of Ivory Coast’s 29 goals in qualifying which means Les Elephants aren’t just a one man band and that everyone has their role and maintains the standard set by influential captain, Didier Drogba.

Manager

The one thing you could argue is Sven Goran Eriksson, for all his off-pitch melodramatics with the English media, does pack a punch with his international experience, with Sven racking up six years of international football (Five years with the England senior team) while he’s a man which has been in the managerial business for a staggering 33 years, so for all his critics, Sven has certainly been around the block and tasted his fair share of highs as well as lows.

Of course, the first thing English fans think of when they here the almost dreaded name of Sven Goran Eriksson is his famous ‘sex scandal’ – Mainly because it’s cringe worthy stuff, however, proper die-hard English fans will often forget at first sight that Sven was the man paid to guide England to great heights as England coach and flopped badly, only reaching the quarter-finals in Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup after the hype back home demanded at least a semi-final appearance. If truth be told, despite being paid a staggering good wage, Sven massively disappointed during his spell as England coach while he left the same impression on Mexico, and after a year at the Mexico helm Sven was also giving the boot for failing to improve the international side. In fact, he left Mexico on their knees and in deep trouble in regards to how they were performing at the time.

Quite how he has managed to squirm his way into the Ivory Coast post we don’t yet know, probably a wife or two was involved somewhere, but either way, Sven is still a wise, knowledgable and tactically sound manager and for Les Elephants, isn’t all bad an appointment if we’re completely honest. Quite how Didier Drogba and the Toure brothers will take to him we aren’t too sure, while the fact he’s only had a matter of weeks to prepare the team and stamp his own flavour on them is a big concern of us.

Strengths

An intimidating offence fronted by Didier Drogba makes Ivory Coast one of the most formidable attacking forces in South Africa. An abundance of pace and strength makes for a rugged offensive set up, one which through qualifying steamrollered their opponents after scoring 29 goals in a lengthy 12 game qualifying procedure. Drogba was of course the star man overall after scoring 6 goals in 5 qualifiers, but it’s the sheer fact Les Elephants have goals in them all around the pitch, with Kone, Kalou, Sekou Cisse Gervinho and Boubacar Sonogo all getting in on the scoring action in qualifying, highlighting the fact Ivory Coast will genuinely be an attack to be reckoned with.

Moreover, the pace at which they attack especially down the wings through Kone, Gervinho, Aruna Dindane and Sekou Cisse. It’s frightening at times at how at ease the Ivory Coast forwards play.

Weaknesses

There isn’t a whole lot wrong with the Ivory Coast if truth be told except that experience, despite some ageing players within their ranks, is missing as 2010 will be just their second appearance in the finals of a World Cup. Those who partook in Germany’s 2006 finals and flopped at the group stage will have taken some valuable experience out of a disappointing tournament, and that might serve them well in South Africa in the knowledge that the losing, defeated feeling isn’t something they want to experience any time soon.

Our second niggle is with the fact that despite scoring plenty of goals throughout qualifying, more than any other African nation, Ivory Coast haven’t yet pitted their big guns up against some of the world’s more equipped defences. In South Africa, they’ll come up against both Brazil and Portugal, both of whom will provide more than adequate testing of both their attack and their defending. Basically, while impressing in qualifying, the Ivory Coast are still exposed heading to South Africa in regards to the inferiority of the opponents they’ve faced in recent matches.

Ivory Coast Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: Africa

Group: E

Position: 1st

Win-Draw-Lose: 5-1-0

Goals Scored: 19

Goals Conceded: 4

Ivory Coast Qualifying statistics:

• The Ivory Coast were one of just two nations in Africa to finish qualifying unbeaten, winning five, with their only dropped points coming away in Burkina Faso in a 1-1 draw. 
• Despite playing just five times, Didider Drogba finished as Ivory Coast’s top goalscorer with six goals, averaging just over a goal a game.
• Didier Zokora & Emmanuel Eboue played all of Ivory Coast’s 12 qualifiers, although it was Zokora who played every single minute of qualifying.
• Ivory Coast certainly took full advantage of playing at home as they won all three of their group qualifiers, scoring 13 whilst keeping a clean sheet in all three.

World Cup Potential: 4/5

We feel the Ivory Coast could be a big player this summer, barring injuries to key players. They really do look fearful on the attack, with Didier Drogba spear heading their forward plays, while they performed particularly well in defence. However, there are reservations over that defence as they haven’t yet been tested by any real quality. However, should they pass the test posed by some of the worlds finest attackers then Sven Goran Eriksson’s side could be the surprise package next summer, although, most people now know of the talent surrounding the Ivory Coast now, so perhaps it won’t be much of a surprise when they do perform well.

Ivory Coast World Cup Betting Odds

Ivory Coast to win the World Cup: 40/1 – Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Ivory Coast were 40/1 

Official Ivory Coast World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Boubacar Barry (KSC Lokeren)

Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Mimosas)

Aristide Zogbo (Maccabi Netanya)

Defenders

Souleymane Bamba (Hibernian FC)

Arthur Boka (VfB Stuttgart)

Emmanuel Eboué (Arsenal)

Siaka Tiené (Valenciennes)

Kolo Touré (Manchester City)

Steve Gohouri (Wigan Athletic)

Benjamin Brou Angoua (Valenciennes)

Guy Demel (Hamburg SV)

Midfielders

Romaric (FC Seville)

Yaya Touré (Barcelona)

Didier Zokora (FC Seville)

Jean-Jacques Gosso (AS Monaco)

Emmanuel Koné (FC International Curtea de Arges)

Cheik Tioté (FC Twente Enschede)

Strikers

Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

Aruna Dindane (Portsmouth)

Seydou Doumbia (Young Boys Bern)

Salomon Kalou (Chelsea)

Abdulkader Keita (Galatasaray Istanbul)

Gervinho (OSC Lille)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Ivory Coast Fixtures – Group G

World Cup Group G - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Ivory Coast