60-second dossier: Ivory Coast won't have a better chance to reach last 16

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It's the Elephants' best chance to reach the last 16 for the first time... 

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? 

Joe Brewin
Joe Brewin

Joe was the Deputy Editor at FourFourTwo until 2022, having risen through the FFT academy and been on the brand since 2013 in various capacities. 

By weekend and frustrating midweek night he is a Leicester City fan, and in 2020 co-wrote the autobiography of former Foxes winger Matt Piper – subsequently listed for both the Telegraph and William Hill Sports Book of the Year awards.