According to the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF), as reported by APA, Didier Zokora, who had briefly left the national team, rejoined the Elephants group on Thursday evening.
After initially leaving the Elephants camp in Abidjan for the reception of Morocco in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Didier Zokora returned to the group on Thursday evening at the Hôtel Ivoire, according to FIF.
“Things ended up getting better for the Ivorian selection, faced on Thursday by the departure of Didier Zokora for reasons of his own,” the FIF website mentioned.
Sabri Lamouchi, the national coach of the Elephants, stated, “Something happened that was rare enough to be noted. Our captain, Didier Zokora (Maestro), left the group on Wednesday night for reasons of his own.” Lamouchi emphasized that nothing and no one is indispensable, and he is focused on achieving the team’s goal of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The Ivorian team is set to play against Morocco on Sunday for the 6th day of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Didier Zokora, the Trabzonspor midfielder, had initially left the national team after his request for free release was refused by coach Sabri Lamouchi on Wednesday. The midfielder was reportedly dissatisfied and had left the team. Zokora, who had assumed the role of captain since the elimination of the CAN in the quarter-final last February, was also said not to have appreciated the coach’s decision to give the captain’s armband back to Didier Drogba