Sabri Lamouchi Reflects on Ivory Coast’s World Cup Exit and Team Decisions
Since Ivory Coast’s disappointing elimination from the World Cup, coach Sabri Lamouchi has remained largely silent on the subject. However, speaking recently to Fraternité Matin after returning to France, Lamouchi addressed key moments from the tournament, including tactical choices during the match against Greece and his ongoing relationship with the Ivorian Football Federation.
Lamouchi explained his decision-making process regarding substitutions in the critical match against Greece. “When I brought in Wilfried Bony, we suddenly found ourselves with five attacking players—Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho, Bony, and Yaya Touré—who are not particularly defensive. On two or three occasions, we could have conceded two or three goals and been knocked out,” he said. “I preferred to restore balance by bringing in a midfielder. It could have been Kalou, but he hadn’t played against Colombia, while Gervinho had played three matches in one week.”
He stood by his choices, particularly in the matches against Japan and Colombia, saying, “Against Japan and Colombia, I made the right decisions. From what I heard, the team performed well, despite the defeat. But three days later, everything was called into question. I don’t see things that way.”
The coach stressed that prioritising the collective interest was central to his approach. “When I see Costa Rica substituting Campbell after qualification, or Ozil taken off by Germany, that’s the mindset you have to have. The coach makes choices for the collective good. So, taking off Didier or Gervinho wasn’t a punishment. It was because we had to keep the ball and avoid conceding goals, especially as Greece were threatening. I preferred to rebalance the midfield by bringing on Ismael Diomandé and Giovanni Sio.”
On rumours about his future, Lamouchi clarified, “I never mentioned resigning. I simply responded to an Ivorian journalist in the heat of the moment. My contract was ending after the World Cup, and it might be the end of a story. But I never imagined the end of my relationship with Côte d’Ivoire in this way.”
Lamouchi’s reflections provide insight into the tactical and managerial challenges he faced during the tournament and highlight his commitment to team balance and collective success.
