Introduction

Back from nowhere in the competition, Côte d’Ivoire beat Nigeria in the final on Sunday, February 11, 2024, to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time. After a month of ups and downs, between a catastrophic group phase and an unexpected coronation, let’s take a look back at Côte d’Ivoire’s miraculous journey.

1- On the brink of elimination and without a coach

Although the opening match was won against Guinea-Bissau (2-0), the other two games of the group phase were disastrous for Côte d’Ivoire. Beaten by Nigeria (0-1) and humiliated by Equatorial Guinea (o-4), hosts Côte d’Ivoire were on the brink of elimination. It’s chaos in Côte d’Ivoire. Fans are unhappy and are calling for the resignation of coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who finally stepped down. The Ivorian federation tried to recruit coach Hervé Renard, who had won the CAN 2015 with Côte d’Ivoire, but this initiative was a failure. In the end, Emerse Faé, assistant coach Jean-Louis Gasset and former Côte d’Ivoire national team player, took over the reins of the Ivorian national team. 

2- The return of the miraculously unlucky 

Côte d’Ivoire eventually qualified for the Round of 16 as the last of the best third-placed teams in the group stage, thanks to the elimination of Zambia by Morocco (0-1). In the Round of 16, Côte d’Ivoire defeated defending champions Senegal after a penalty shoot-out (1-1, 5-4). In the quarter-finals, after an 89th-minute equaliser and a 120th-minute extra-time goal, Côte d’Ivoire beat Mali 2-1. The Elephants thus reached the semi-finals of the CAN, having won only one match at the end of regulation time. In the semi-final against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire took control of the match and advanced to the final with a score of 1-0. Côte d’Ivoire now meets Nigeria in the final. 

3- The final crown

Two finalists from the same group. Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria were both in Group A. Nigeria had beaten Côte d’Ivoire (1-0) to qualify for the Round of 16 as Group A winners. However, Côte d’Ivoire were not intimidated by the final and was determined to exact their revenge on Nigeria. After conceding the opening goal through William Troost-Ekong in the 38th minute, the Elephants turned the match on its head. Franck Kessié scored in the 62nd minute, followed by Sébastien Haller in the 81st. With a score of 2-1, Côte d’Ivoire took their revenge against Nigeria and became African champions.

Conclusion 

The CAN ended with a stunning scenario worthy of a Netflix series. After a near-elimination in the group phase, and still trailing in the final Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire turned the tables and became the hero of this CAN. After 1992 and 2015, they now have their third star in the competition and their first on home soil.