How the Ivory Coast national football team conquered Africa by changing coaches mid-tournament
In short: Known as the Elephants, the Ivory Coast national team is a powerhouse of African football. They have claimed three Africa Cup of Nations titles, but their 2024 victory was historic: they became the first nation to win the tournament after firing their head coach during the group stage.
The Ivorian Football Federation, which manages the team, has overseen a dramatic evolution since the squad's first international match in 1960. While the team struggled for consistency in the 1970s and 1980s, they eventually secured their first major continental success in 1992. That tournament final against Ghana featured a marathon penalty shoot-out, which Ivory Coast won 11–10, setting a record at the time for the highest-scoring shoot-out in international football.
The team's relationship with penalty shoot-outs has remained a defining, if nerve-wracking, feature of their history. In the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, they defeated Cameroon 12–11 on penalties, and in 2015, they secured their second title by beating Ghana 9–8 in a 22-shot shootout. These moments of high-stakes tension are matched by the unique atmosphere created by their supporters, whose percussion bands mimic the sounds of elephants moving through a forest.
The most remarkable chapter arrived in 2024. After a disastrous 4–0 loss to Equatorial Guinea during the group stage, the team dismissed coach Jean-Louis Gasset. Under caretaker Emerse Faé, the team scraped into the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed finishers. They then mounted a defiant run, defeating Senegal, Mali, and DR Congo before securing a 2–1 victory over Nigeria in the final. This triumph cemented their status as a resilient force, capable of overcoming internal turmoil to reach the pinnacle of African football.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Ivory Coast national football team
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