Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba admits he wished he could have been part of the squad as they prepare to host the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 45-year-old striker is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and his reception in his homeland displayed his status as a figure that simply transcends beyond being a footballer.
In Abidjan, on Thursday evening after the hosts were drawn alongside Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, the Premier League Hall of Famer admitted it won’t be a straightforward task for the Elephants.
“I’m looking forward to all of [the groups], I hope you will be here to watch all these games, it will be a great competition, and challenges are going to be tough but that’s what we want and how we get the beautiful football,” Drogba said.
“It’s a tough group for Ivory Coast because is one of the best teams, one of the favourites of the tournament and continent, so we need to work hard and we hope that we win our first game, it starts there and we’ll see. No small teams, it’s over, surprises are not surprises anymore.”
It will be the second time his nation hosts the continental showpiece, with the last time being in 1984 when Cameroon lifted their first-ever title.
“Listen, when you say that [Ivory Coast waiting a long time for AFCON] I get goosebumps because I never had the chance to play an AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire and I wish – I was still playing you know,” Drogba said.
“It would have been amazing to perform in front of my people but listen, it’s a blessing for us to be able to host this competition and you guys are all welcome, we’ll do our best to make you feel at home and have the best experience.”
