Finally, Ivory Coast have been handed a group they can get out of. In 2006 they were lumped with Argentina and the Netherlands; in 2010 it was Brazil and Portugal. Both times they finished third, but doing so here would be a travesty. It's not that they're expected to walk it – any one of Colombia, Greece, Japan or themselves could feasibly win the group – but it's by far their best chance yet to make a mark. They didn't lose any games in African qualifying, which is nice, and in Yaya Toure, Salomon Kalou and Gervinho (not to mention old Didier Drogba) they can clearly cause damage. But will they?
‘If Xabi Alonso had wanted the Liverpool job, Arne Slot might still be in Rotterdam' Respected writer and Liverpool fan Tony Evans provides the inside story of the quest to replace Jurgen Klopp and the shocking factor no one expected
Chelsea and Enzo Maresca have three major problems they must solve after crashing out of the FA Cup with alarm bells now ringing
