Wilfried Bony says being Ivory Coast’s number nine is ‘not easy’ as Herve Renard begins new era

Wilfried Bony believes Ivory Coast’s progress at the last World Cup gives the national team reason for optimism, but says the striker has a particularly difficult role to fulfil in the Elephants’ attack.

Ivory Coast reached the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in their history, having returned to the tournament after a 12-year absence. The Elephants are now preparing for the next international window, which will also mark the start of Herve Renard’s tenure as head coach.

Renard’s squad is due to be announced on Wednesday, ahead of Ivory Coast’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. Bony, now a consultant for Ivorian television channel NCI, reviewed the team’s World Cup campaign in an exclusive interview with Afrik-Foot and outlined his hopes for the future.

“The assessment is both positive and mixed,” said Bony, who won 59 caps and scored 18 goals for his country.

“There is disappointment because we thought we could go further. But we are happy to have taken part, because that had not happened for 12 years, and above all to have gone beyond the first round, which was a very important first step.

“The team was very young, so that gives us hope for the future.”

Ivory Coast’s campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat by Norway in the last 16, with the decisive goal arriving in the 86th minute. Bony said the result had left him with “a small feeling of regret”, despite the significance of reaching the knockout stages.

The former international striker also identified the centre-forward position as one of the challenges facing new manager Renard, who replaced Emerse Fae during the summer.

“For some time now, our best players for the national team have been the wingers,” Bony said. “The striker has to be resilient and effective, know how to be patient, wait for his opportunity and adapt to them.

“It is very difficult. If you do not establish yourself, if you cannot manage the environment and if you do not show your ego, it is complicated.”

Bony’s comments come as Renard prepares for a demanding start to his Ivory Coast reign. The Elephants host Ghana on 24 September before travelling to Somalia on 29 September in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Ivory Coast will then face Cameroon in a prestigious friendly on 3 October.

The upcoming fixtures will be Renard’s first matches in charge as he seeks to build on a World Cup campaign that combined a historic achievement with frustration at the way it ended.