May 23, 2006
MICHEL NAMES IVORY COAST ROSTER
Drogba Will Make World Cup Debut

World Cup neophytes Ivory Coast will lean heavily on Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who scored nine goals in the qualifying tournament, to make them the Cinderella side of this year's tournament. Henri Michel's Elephants have their work cut out for them, however, after being drawn into one of the tournament's two Groups of Death. Arsenal backliners Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue will face the tough task of keeping such potent offenses as Argentina and the Netherlands at bay through three group matches.

The full Ivory Coast roster:

Goalkeepers: Jean-Jacques Tizie (Esperance Tunis/TUN), Boubacar Barry Copa (KSK Beveren/BEL), Gerard Gnanhouan (Montpellier/FRA).

Defenders: Cyrille Domoraud (Creteil/FRA/D2), Blaise Kouassi (ES Troyes/FRA), Abdoulaye Meite (Marseille/FRA), Etienne Arthur Boka (Strasbourg/FRA), Abib Kolo Toure (Arsenal/ENG), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal/ENG), Marc Zoro (FC Messina/ITA).

Midfielders: Didier Zokora (St Etienne/FRA), Emerse Fae (Nantes/FRA), Kanga Gauthier Akale (Auxerre/FRA), Romaric Ndri Koffi (Le Mans/FRA), Gnegneri Yaya Toure (Olympiakos/GRE), Gilles Yapi Yapo (Young Boys/SUI), Guy Roland Demel (Hambourg/GER).

Strikers: Bakari Kone (Nice/FRA), Didier Drogba (Chelsea/ENG), Arouna Kone (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Bonaventure Kalou (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Abdoul Kader Keita (Lille/FRA), Aruna Dindane (Lens/FRA).