The Ivory Coast, a perennial powerhouse in African football, is gearing up to defend their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title in Morocco 2025. Since Egypt's historic three-peat, no defending champions have successfully retained their crown, but the Elephants are determined to break that trend.

The Elephants, currently ranked 42nd in the FIFA rankings, will be one of the favorites to lift the trophy, thanks to their impressive squad depth and individual talents. Head coach Emerse Fae will guide the team through the group stage, where they will face off against familiar foes and newcomers alike.

Ivory Coast has a rich AFCON history, with 26 appearances and three championship wins (1992, 2015, and 2023). Their road to Morocco 2025 was not without its challenges, as they finished second in their qualifying group behind Zambia. However, their offensive prowess and defensive solidity, with 12 goals scored and just three conceded, secured their spot in the tournament.

The Elephants' squad is a blend of youth and experience, with seasoned players like captain Frank Kessié leading the charge. Other notable names include Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge), and Sébastien Haller (FC Utrecht). The team's depth and versatility will be crucial in their quest to become the first back-to-back AFCON champions since Egypt.

Here is the final squad list for Ivory Coast:

**Goalkeepers:**
Yahia Fofana (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Mohamed Koné (Charleroi SC, Belgium), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos, Greece)

**Defenders:**
Emmanuel Agbadou (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Boly Willy (Nottingham Forest, England), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP, Portugal), Guela Doué (RC Strasbourg, France), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente, Portugal), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta BC, Italy), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma, Italy), Christopher Operi (Istanbul Başakşehir, Turkey), Armel Zohouri (FC Iberia 1999, Georgia)

**Midfielders:**
Seko Fofana (Stade Rennais, France), Jean-Philippe Gbamin (FC Metz, France), Christ Inao Oulaï (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest, England), Jean-Michael Seri (NK Maribor FC, Slovenia)

**Forwards:**
Vakoun Bayo (Udinese Calcio, Italy), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Amad Diallo (Manchester United, England), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig, Germany), Sébastien Haller (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Paris FC, France), Bazoumana Touré (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Germany), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte FC, United States)

**Standby:**
Guessand Evann (Aston Villa, England), Guiagon Parfait (Royal Charleroi SC, Belgium)

Tags:

#** Africa Cup of Nations #AFCON 2025 #Ivory Coast #Emerse Fae #Frank Kessié