Abidjan, Ivory Coast – Ivory Coast defender Ghislain Konan admits the pressure will be on the Elephants ‘golden generation’ to finally deliver a first Africa Cup of Nations title since 1992 when they host next month’s tournament.
Konan, who is currently on loan at Saudi Arabian club Al-Fayha from Al-Nassr, has established himself as a key figure under coach Jean-Louis Gasset.
And in an exclusive interview with Afric-Foot.com on Thursday, the 28-year-old left-back conceded the weight of expectation from the Ivorian public could prove overwhelming.
“We’re going to have some very, very difficult times because we’re playing at home,” Konan predicted.
“The people, the country expect the trophy so that adds extra pressure. But we remain focused on our goal.”
Ivory Coast can call upon a wealth of elite talent including Premier League stars Wilfried Zaha, Eric Bailly, Jean Michael Seri and Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe.
Konan himself plays alongside global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane for Al-Nassr, although a surprise loan move saw him replaced at the Saudi club by Alex Telles.
But despite that embarrassment of riches, the Elephants have failed to transfer their potential into continental glory since being crowned African champions 30 years ago.
The 2023 finals represent a golden chance to put that right. With momentum behind them as they enjoy home advantage for the first time since staging the tournament in 1984, Konan is hopeful rather than expectant they can finally get over the line this time.
QUALIFIÉ 🥳
Grâce à leur victoire du jour (4-1), face au #Pakhtakor en AFC Champions League,
Ghislain Konan 🇨🇮 et Al Fayha se sont qualifiés pour les huitièmes de finale de la AFC Champions League 👊🏽💪🏽🧡💜#LeMeilleurConsultant #AlFayha #AFCChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/Y22ajLBTJ3
— Le Meilleur Consultant (@lebestdesigner) December 5, 2023
