Coach: Sven Goran Erikkson
Key Player: Drogba
World Cup Record: Previous appearance in 2006
World Ranking: 27
Group G Schedule:
15 June – Ivory Coast v Portugal
20 June – Brazil v Ivory Coast
25 June – North Korea v Ivory Coast
The change of coach just months before the start of the World Cup came despite an unbeaten run in the qualifying competition and has led to allegations of discord in the camp, a situation Eriksson will need to sort out before the team's opening game against Portugal on 15 June.
The Swede is a big-name trainer to boost the image and ego of Ivorian football but just what he can achieve with less than a month of preparation remains to be seen.
The Elephants have the toughest draw of all the African sides with Brazil also in their group. The extent to which they rely on Didier Drogba has been evidenced in the past and when the Chelsea forward has an off-day, the team have few alternatives.
Drogba will be keen keenly watched as the talisman of the side, with support up front from his club mate Salomon Kalou. Yaya Toure of Barcelona in the heart of midfield is another genuine world-class player and the experienced pair of Kolo Tore and Emmanuel Eboue in defence give the side more big-name recognition.
Provisional Squad:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Mimosas), Aristide Zogbo (Maccabi Netanya)
Defenders: Sol Bamba (Hibernian), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Siaka Tiene (Valenciennes), Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Guy Demel (Hamburg), Steve Gohouri (Wigan), Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes)
Midfielders: Didier Zokora (Seville), Romaric (Seville), Cheick Tiote (FC Twente), Yaya Toure (Barcelona), Jean-Jacques Gosso (Monaco), Abdel Kader Keita (Galatasaray)
Forwards: Aruna Dindane (Lekhwiya), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Didier Drogba (Chelsea, Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Gervinho (Lille), Emmanuel Kone (CFR Cluj)
