AFCON 2015: Côte d’Ivoire Begins New Chapter Without Drogba
For the first time in nearly a decade, Côte d’Ivoire enters the Africa Cup of Nations without the heavy burden of favoritism. Drawn in Group D, the Elephants begin their 2015 AFCON campaign against Guinea on Tuesday in Malabo, carrying a team in transition.
Coach Hervé Renard, who led Zambia to a historic title in 2012, is mindful of the evolution the Ivorian squad is undergoing.
“Compared to the Ivory Coast of 2006 and 2012, the squad is not at all the same,” he told AFP. “So we need to move on to something a little less flashy but more effective.”
The 2015 tournament also marks the first post-Drogba era for the Elephants. The iconic striker retired after the 2014 World Cup, closing a legendary chapter for Ivorian football.
“If he is not here, it’s because he didn’t want to come. Otherwise, he certainly would have,” Renard stated. “Now the page has turned. We have to move on.”
Despite the talent in the squad—featuring stars like Yaya Touré, Gervinho, and Wilfried Bony—the Elephants arrive in Malabo on the back of a mixed preparation: a draw against Nigeria and a loss to Sweden.
Côte d’Ivoire is no longer the favorite, but with lower expectations comes the opportunity to surprise—and perhaps finally deliver the elusive title they narrowly missed in 2006 and 2012.
