FIFA Ranking: 23 (Last Updated 05 Jun 2014)
History: Ivory Coast have played two World Cups in 2006 and 2010. Both times they were placed in the Group of Death and finished third each time. They haven`t gone past the group stage. In 2006, they lost to Argentina and Netherlands and in 2010, they couldn`t get past Brazil and Portugal.
Qualifying report: The White Elephants alongside Nigeria were the only team to remain unbeaten in the African qualifiers. They topped the preliminary group above Morocco and then beat Senegal over two-legs in the play-offs. Salomon Kalou starred for them with an injury time equaliser.
Star Players: Yaya Toure (scored 4 goals in the qualification round) plays for Manchester City (England) at the club level. Yaya is the heart of Man City in midfield and has been in sublime form this season. He has scored and assisted at will in the Premier League. The defensive midfielder holds the team`s fort at both country and club level. The in-form midfielder is vital to Ivory Coast`s chances in Brazil this year.
Didier Drogba plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray (Turkey). The former Chelsea forward needs no introduction to the world stage. He is Ivory Coast`s main man and will shoulder most of the responsibility being a senior member in the team alongside Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou.
Top scorer at the Cup: Aruna Dindane (2)
Most World Cup caps: Aruna Dindane (6)
Team record at the Cup: M: 6, W: 2, D: 1, L: 3
Coach: Sabri Lamouchi`s appointment as Ivory Coast manager was seen as a hugely controversial move. Though, he had played for France in the 1996, the former midfielder arrived without any previous coaching experience. He dropped Didier Drogba after a disappointing 2013 AFCON only to be included in the squad later.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek)
Defenders: Ousmane Viera (Caykur Rizespor), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (Toulouse), Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sol Bamba (Trabzonspor)
Midfielders: Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover 96), Ismael Diomande (Saint-Etienne), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Serey Die (Basel)
Forwards: Salomon Kalou (Lille), Gervinho (Roma), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Wilfried Bony (Swansea City), Giovanni Sio (Basel)
Group listing: Group C - Japan, Greece and Colombia.
Fixtures:
June 14: Ivory Coast v Japan, Recife
June 19: Colombia v Ivory Coast, Brasilia
June 24: Greece v Ivory Coast, Fortaleza