Africa has always been a breeding ground for Western football’s strange and miraculous stories, as well as a fertile land for talents, an indispensable source for the old continent’s stadiums throughout history.
Many legends of European clubs emerged from the African continent, and the Africa Cup of Nations has often been the stage that showcased them to the public.
Returning to the peculiarities of the African continent, specifically in 2012, that tournament was not without one of the most bizarre stories, involving an assistant element to the Ivory Coast national team, aiming to achieve a dream absent for 22 years.
The Ivory Coast national team has had a stumbling fate in its history of participating in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite possessing numerous stars, they have only clinched the title twice, in 1992 and 2015.
As they stand in Group A in the current edition hosted by Ivory Coast, alongside Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria, the hosts aspire to replicate their 2015 triumph after securing the title for the second time in their history.
They had previously achieved the first in 1992, and between these two dates, all generations failed to secure the title, reaching the final in 2012 but falling short.
Drogba’s Mother Plays the Role of the “Cook”
The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations witnessed an unprecedented event, as Mrs. Clotilde Drogba, the mother of player Didier Drogba, assumed the role of the “cook” for the Ivorian fans.
She aimed to support the team led by her son, hoping to fulfill the dream that had been absent since 1992 after winning the African Cup of Nations against Ghana in Dakar.
Before each match, Drogba’s mother decided to cook for the Ivorian fans who flocked to Equatorial Guinea to support the team led by her son.
She attempted to provide the supporters with nourishment so they could cheer in the best possible way, hoping that the Elephants would achieve what their predecessors failed to do since 1992.
Media outlets highlighted this incident, showcasing Drogba’s mother’s commitment to her role before each match.
Fans would queue up well in advance, sometimes reaching up to 70 people, to receive their meals before heading to the stadium to support the Elephants.
In the end, the efforts of the captain’s mother did not guarantee perfection.
While her role contributed to Ivory Coast reaching the final with significant fan support throughout the tournament, they faced a formidable opponent in the final, Zambia, and were defeated in the penalty shootout, extending the drought of not winning the title.
An Unfulfilled Dream Journey
Ivory Coast secured the top spot in Group C with 7 points, ahead of Sudan in second place, Angola in third, and Burkina Faso in fourth.
In the quarterfinals, the Ivory Coast national team defeated Equatorial Guinea 3-0, then faced Mali in the semi-finals and won 1-0.
In the final, however, they lost to Zambia in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in both regular and extra time.
The strange aspect of Ivory Coast’s journey during the Africa Cup of Nations is that every time they reached the final, they settled the title with a penalty shootout.
The first time was in 1992, when Ivory Coast won the title against Ghana, the second was in 2012 when they lost to Zambia, and the last time was in 2015 when they defeated Ghana again.
The untangled knot between these two achievements remains a captivating tale from Mama Africa’s football chronicles.
