The youngest head coach at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Sabri Lamouchi, has announced the Ivory Coast World Cup squad, with all teams required to send in their lists by today with FIFA confirming all officially by the 5th of June.
Lamouchi had earlier named 30 players and was required to cut seven from it. There were some surprises with the players that were omitted. Most notably, experienced heads Romaric & Seydou Doumbia won’t be joining the squad in Brazil. Romaric has played in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups for the Ivory Coast, but was left disappointed for the second time after failing to make the 2012 African Cup of Nations squad as well. Seydou Doumbia still remains a feared striker and is a constant mention in the rumour mills, but despite playing in both the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 African Cup of Nations, he won’t be on the flight to Brazil.
Another notable absentee is AS Monaco striker Lacina Traore who misses out as well, possibly with fitness & injury concerns. Jean-Jacques Gosso, Benjamin Angoua, Brice Dja Djedje and Bandra Ali Sangare are the other players who have been cut from the list.
We are particularly pleased with four Talent Radar youngsters who have made the list. Toulose’s Serge Aurier is the most notable young inclusion who will take his place at right-back. The 21-yr-old has constanly been included in our Talent Radar Team of the Week and was also part of the top 10 Talent Radar young players of March, the Talent Radar Ligue 1 Team of the Season and he also featured in our inaugural #TalentRadar Young Player Awards, being named in the #TalentRadar Team of the Season.
Midfielder Ismael Diomande, Defender Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro and Goalkeeper Sayouba Mande were the other youngsters who have been included in the squad. While Akpa-Akpro might play some part the other two are unlikely to feature; Serge Aurier though, remains one of the most exciting players to watch this World Cup.
Here is the final Ivory Coast World Cup squad:
GOALKEEPERS: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek)
DEFENDERS: Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (Toulouse), Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Souleyman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Ousman Vieira (Caykur Rizespor)
MIDFIELDERS: Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ismael Diomande (Saint-Etienne), Max-Alain Gradel (Saint-Etienne), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Geoffroy Serey Die (Basel), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover 96)
FORWARDS: Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Gervinho (Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Giovanni Sio (Basel)
