Ivory Coast national football team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Les Éléphants (The Elephants) | ||
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Association | Fédération Ivorienne de Football (FIF) | ||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | ||
Sub-confederation | WAFU (West Africa) | ||
Head coach | Emerse Faé | ||
Captain | Serge Aurier | ||
Most caps | Didier Zokora (123) | ||
Top scorer | Didier Drogba (65) | ||
Home stadium | Alassane Ouattara Stadium | ||
FIFA code | CIV | ||
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FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 66 ![]() |
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Highest | 12 (February 2013, April–May 2013) | ||
Lowest | 75 (March–May 2004) | ||
Elo ranking | |||
Current | 58 ![]() |
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Highest | 10 (26 January 2013) | ||
Lowest | 70 (6 October 1996) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Madagascar, 13 April 1960) |
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Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Abidjan, Ivory Coast; 27 December 1961) |
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Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 4 June 2017) |
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World Cup | |||
Appearances | 3 (first in 2006) | ||
Best result | Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014) | ||
Africa Cup of Nations | |||
Appearances | 26 (first in 1965) | ||
Best result | Champions (1992, 2015, 2023) | ||
African Nations Championship | |||
Appearances | 5 (first in 2009) | ||
Best result | Third place (2016) | ||
Confederations Cup | |||
Appearances | 1 (first in 1992) | ||
Best result | Fourth place (1992) |
The Ivory Coast national football team, also known as the Elephants, represents Ivory Coast in men's international football. The team is managed by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF). They have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times: in 1992, 2015, and 2023. The team has also played in the FIFA World Cup three times: in 2006, 2010, and 2014.
Ivory Coast's home uniform is all orange. Since 2020, their home games have been played at Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan. Before that, they played at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium. Didier Zokora holds the record for the most games played, with 123 matches. The team's top goal scorer is Didier Drogba, who scored 65 goals in 105 games for the Elephants.
Contents
History of the Elephants
Early Years (1960s-1970s)
The team played its first international match on April 13, 1960. They won 3–2 against Dahomey, which is now known as Benin. In 1961, they had a huge 11–0 victory against the Central African Republic.
After Ivory Coast became independent from France, the team did well in early African tournaments. They finished third in the 1963 and 1965 Africa Cup of Nations. In the 1970s, their performance was mixed. They finished fourth in the 1970 African Cup of Nations, but did not qualify for some later tournaments.
Rise to Champions (1980s-1990s)
In 1984, Ivory Coast hosted the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. They did not make it out of their group that year. In 1986, they finished third again, beating Morocco 3–2.
The 1992 Africa Cup of Nations was a big moment for Ivory Coast. They won their group and then beat Zambia and Cameroon to reach the final. In the final, they faced Ghana. The game went to a penalty shootout, which they won 11–10. This was their first major title! They could not defend their title in 1994, losing in the semi-finals.
The Ivory Coast team is famous for winning two of the highest-scoring penalty shootouts in international football. They won 11–10 against Ghana in the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations final. They also won 12–11 against Cameroon in the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. In 2015, they beat Ghana again in a final penalty shootout, winning 9–8.
World Cup Debuts (2000s-2010s)
In October 2005, Ivory Coast made history by qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This was their first time ever playing in the tournament. They were in a tough group with Argentina, Holland, and Serbia and Montenegro. They lost their first two games 2–1. However, they won their final group game 3–2 against Serbia and Montenegro. This was their first-ever World Cup victory!
Ivory Coast also qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Again, they were in a very difficult group with Brazil, Portugal, and North Korea. They drew 0–0 with Portugal and lost 3–1 to Brazil. Even though they won their last game 3–0 against North Korea, they were eliminated in the group stage.
The team played in their third World Cup in 2014 in Brazil. They beat Japan 2–1 but then lost to Colombia. In their final group match against Greece, they lost 2–1 after a penalty in the last minutes. This meant they were out in the group stage for the third time in a row.
In 2015, the national team won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations for the second time. They beat Ghana in a penalty shootout after the game ended with no goals. The team did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, losing to Morocco in their final qualifying match.
Recent Success (2020s)
In early 2024, Ivory Coast hosted the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations for the second time. After a tough group stage, their coach was replaced by assistant coach Emerse Faé. The team managed to qualify for the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams. They then went on an amazing run, beating strong teams like Senegal and Mali. They won the final 2–1 against Nigeria, earning their third title! This was special because they were the first team to win the African Cup of Nations after changing coaches during the tournament.
Home Stadium
From 1964 to 2020, the main stadium for home matches was Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. It could hold 50,000 fans. In 2020, the new Alassane Ouattara Stadium opened in Abidjan. This stadium can hold 60,000 people and was used for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Supporters
Fans of the Elephants are known for being very colorful and lively. At Ivory Coast matches, the fan sections often have a percussion band. This band makes sounds that are like an elephant moving through a forest.
Coaching Staff
Position | Name |
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Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coaches | ![]() ![]() |
Goalkeeping coach | ![]() |
Fitness coach | ![]() |
Video analyst | ![]() |
Doctor | ![]() |
Physiotherapists | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Masseur | ![]() |
Ostheopath | ![]() |
Team nutritionist | ![]() |
Team cooks | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Team coordinator | ![]() |
Technical director | ![]() |
Head of delegation | ![]() |
Key Players
The Ivory Coast team has many talented players. Some of the most famous players include Didier Drogba, who is their all-time top scorer. Didier Zokora has played the most games for the team. Other important players have included Kolo Touré, Yaya Touré, and Salomon Kalou.
Current Squad Highlights
The team's current squad includes players like Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré, and Nicolas Pépé. These players play for big clubs around the world. They help the Elephants compete at the highest level.
Team Records
- Players in bold are still active with Ivory Coast.
Most Appearances

Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
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1 | Didier Zokora | 123 | 1 | 2000–2014 |
2 | Kolo Touré | 121 | 7 | 2000–2015 |
3 | Max Gradel | 110 | 18 | 2011–2024 |
4 | Didier Drogba | 105 | 65 | 2002–2014 |
5 | Yaya Touré | 101 | 19 | 2004–2015 |
6 | Siaka Tiéné | 100 | 2 | 2000–2015 |
7 | Salomon Kalou | 96 | 27 | 2007–2017 |
8 | Serge Aurier | 93 | 4 | 2013–present |
9 | Abdoulaye Traoré | 90 | 49 | 1984–1996 |
10 | Arthur Boka | 88 | 1 | 2004–2015 |
Top Goalscorers
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Didier Drogba (list) | 65 | 105 | 0.62 | 2002–2014 |
2 | Abdoulaye Traoré | 49 | 90 | 0.54 | 1984–1996 |
3 | Joël Tiéhi | 28 | 50 | 0.56 | 1985–1999 |
4 | Salomon Kalou | 27 | 96 | 0.28 | 2007–2017 |
5 | Gervinho | 23 | 86 | 0.27 | 2007–2021 |
6 | Ibrahima Bakayoko | 22 | 39 | 0.56 | 1996–2002 |
7 | Laurent Pokou | 21 | 30 | 0.7 | 1967–1980 |
8 | Yaya Touré | 19 | 101 | 0.19 | 2004–2015 |
9 | Aruna Dindane | 18 | 62 | 0.29 | 2000–2010 |
Max Gradel | 18 | 110 | 0.16 | 2011–2024 |
Competitive Achievements
The Ivory Coast national football team has achieved success in various tournaments.
Major Competitions
- CAF Africa Cup of Nations
- Description: Coppa d'Africa
Title: Coppa Africa
Credit: Own work
Author: Luigi Chiesa
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes Champions (3): 1992, 2015, 2023 - Description: A silver medal with africa inside
Title: Silver medal africa
Credit: based on silver_medal.svg by B1mbo
Author: maix¿?
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
License: CC BY-SA 2.5
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
Attribution Required?: Yes Runners-up (2): 2006, 2012 - Description: A bronze medal with africa inside
Title: Bronze medal africa
Credit: based on bronze_medal.svg by B1mbo
Author: maix¿?
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
License: CC BY-SA 2.5
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
Attribution Required?: Yes Third place (4): 1965, 1968, 1986, 1994
- Description: Coppa d'Africa
- CAF African Nations Championship
- Description: A bronze medal with africa inside
Title: Bronze medal africa
Credit: based on bronze_medal.svg by B1mbo
Author: maix¿?
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
License: CC BY-SA 2.5
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
Attribution Required?: Yes Third place (1): 2016
- Description: A bronze medal with africa inside
- African Games
- Description: A bronze medal with africa inside
Title: Bronze medal africa
Credit: based on bronze_medal.svg by B1mbo
Author: maix¿?
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5
License: CC BY-SA 2.5
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
Attribution Required?: Yes Bronze medal (1): 1965
- Description: A bronze medal with africa inside
Regional Competitions
Awards
- African National Team of the Year: 1992, 2015, 2024
- Africa Cup of Nations Fair Play Award: 2012
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Costa de Marfil para niños
- Ivory Coast national under-20 football team
- Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations