Didier Drogba: There is very little to say about one of the best and most talismanic footballers in all of Africa, England, and maybe even Europe. There are few players out there with talent of Didier with his back talent, and even fewer with the ability to make something of nothing and score some of the prettiest goals I have seen in a long time. Coming off a knee injury he may not be ready in time for the Cup but is a must have on the squad for leadership, support, and the shear chance that he is ready. Remember a 60 or 70% fit Drogba is still a heck of a player. Look for Didier to cash in on success at the ANC with a move to may favorite club team AC Milan. Enjoy Didier’s talents below:

Abdul Keita: A somewhat unkown has really won my heart as a player with tons of talents and slight similarity to one Didier Drogba. His strength on the ball and flank also bring to mind players like Cristiano Ronaldo. With 32 caps to his name expect to add that total and earn a fair amount of playing time if Drogba is not match fit.

Salomon Kalou: Another Chelsea man akin to Didier, Kalou has really begun to earn his keep as a solid striking option at Stamford Bridge and possibly for the Elephants as well. Already scoring 1 goal in two caps Kalou has a ton of big game experience at Chelsea and will make a strong started and possible an even stronger sub. In my opinion he is a viable option, but also has a ton of games ahead to prove himself even further.

Aruna Dindane: The 28 year old Lens man is no slouch when it cames to International football. 14 elephant games make him a solid scoring option and great leader alongside the likes of Drogba. Linked with a move to the EPL even at 28 Dindane is a strong attacking option and fits the puzzle perfectly.

Arouna Kone: 27 Caps and 9 goals make Kone another perfect option in the attack. The former PSV turned Sevilla man has impressed this season and looks to make an impact at the ANC. Not a first choice during the 06WC, Kone may see more playing time again dependent on the injury of Drogba and the choices of the coaches. Arouna is not the only Kone in the attack his brother Bakari is a striking option as well, but not as strong as Arouna, and a few years older.

Yaya Toure:  Toure is an awesome defensive midfielder who since moving to
Barcelona has raised plenty of eyebrows with his talent.  He is a favorite of his teammates and though enduring some racist remarks has solidified himself in the
Barcelona winning eleven which is no small feat for any player.  Look for him to play an end to end role with distribution skills and defensive prowess.  Any success in the attack will most likely with the man they call Yaya.

Didier Zokora:  Also a defensive midfield type player, is enjoying plenty of success and fan respect at Tottenham.  Nicknamed the “Maestro,” he plays with a great sense of presence and vision, which has even earned him Captain’s honors at

. At 28 he has been capped 71 times and counting for the Elephants and like Toure on defense is an elder statesman of the squad and is in the top tier of leadership for this team.  I myself have wondered how he would coexist with Yaya Toure in the center of the pitch but it seems they have a good understanding on as well as off the pitch.

Emerse Fae:  Another midfielder from the EPL plays sparingly at
Reading.  At 27 years old is also a strong option in the middle with 16 caps.  He played a ton at his old club in
France and is a strong enough player to make an impact in the ANC.

Siaka Tiene: With only five caps he lacks the experience of his mates above, but as one of the few midfielders named to the squad there is no doubt that he will see action either from the start or of the bench.  Playing at St. Etienne of
France he has played in five matches and has yet to duplicate the success he had while on loan to Stade Reims.   His last cap came on the left flank against
Madagascar in a three goal win, if memory serves Tiene should see more than his fair share of game time.

Emmanuel Eboue: The Arsenal right back played all 270 minutes for the IC in the 06 World Cup.  Expect the same kind of performance in the ANC.  Eboue is a strong back who has the stamina and ability to be involved in the attack and deep in the box.  His style of play is reminiscent of the old-wingbacks made famous by the Italian style of Calcio, he has shown so much attacking prowess that Arsene Wenger has even considered moving him up into the attack, lots of versatility for a stable and strong defender.

Kolo Toure:  Plays alongside Eboue at Arsenal but players a much more traditional defensive role at center back.  Earning almost 200 caps at Arsenal and trusted enough by Arsene Wenger to lead the Arsenal squad he is phenomenal talent who in my opinion is second to only Didier Drogba in talent and leadership for this team. Look for Toure to be involved in many of the Elephant success in the ANC.

Abdoulaye Méïté:
Bolton Defender and cult hero of the Wanders Football Supporters. Meite is a monster in the back and has gained plenty of praise for his performances this season.  Look for him to add to his 18 National team caps and to play alongside his other EPL mates.  Meite is a also an iron horse as a stable figure for Bolton in the back since his arrival, an asset for
Bolton and the Elephants alike. 

Marco Zoro:  The former Seria A defender for Messina has moved to Benfica where he has not enjoyed the playing time like at
Messina but is key piece for Benfica management.  Zoro has 13 caps for the Elephants and will most likely add many more, he is a strong willed player like many African stars has a strong belief in fair play once leaving the pitch at the San Siro when fans where chanting racist taunts.

Goalkeepers are not the strong spot on the Cote d’Ivorie squad, and in fact they are not the strong spot for most of the teams in the African Nations Cup. It is somewhat of an enigma to me that a country so adept at producing imposing strikers and defenders has yet to find a player extremely adept in between the pipes. There is not a doubt in my mind that an African team will go deep into the WC2010, it will most likely be the one with the most solid keeper.

Uli Stielke, and now Gerard Gili, have three keepers on squad and I would like to introduce them to the Elephant fans.

Boubacar Barry: The 29 year old is the most seasoned on the team, and most likely the first team favorite for the coaching staff. Gone is Tizie from the World Cup, who at age 35 is no longer first choice material. Barry is relatively unproved but will get a strong chance to shine early in the tournament against a tough Nigeria squad. He currently plys his club trade in Belgium, and is commonly referred to as Barry or just plain “Copa.”

Stephan Lobue: The second choice keeper currently plays in the second tier of the Bundesliga. As I mentioned with Barry, we are not talking world beating goalies here but clearly has shown enough to the staff to be considered for the team. Born and raised in Germany he has yet to earn a cap for the Elephants.

Tiasse Kone: The last keeper and really only their in case of injury, will gain some valuable big game knowledge as he sits on the bench during the ANC. Kone plays his club ball in Cote d’Ivorie for the champion club, African Sports National, clearly a strong future consideration in tournaments to come.

Kader Keita

He currently plies his trade at Lyon and is transfer target for none other than AC Milan, I am salivating.

Special thanks to Bman.

Arouna Koné is a 22 year old is from a small town called Anyama near Abidjan, comes from a family of 17 kids. He is a striker who currently plays for PSV Eindhoven of the Dutch Eredivisie as well the Côte d’Ivoire national football team.

Koné learned soccer as a youth on the street and joined local club Rio Sport d’Ányama where he played, helping the team gain promotion to the first division after being added to the first team roster at the age of 17. French club RC Lens invited him for a trial, but he could not get along with the management there and transferred to Belgian club Lierse S.K. a month later.

In 2003, he transferred to Dutch club Roda JC, where he scored 28 goals in 63 matches. A good performance at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship earned him a transfer deal to PSV Eindhoven for the 2005/06 season.

This season, he featured prominently in the the African Cup of Nations that concluded in Egypt in February where his country was runners up.

For Koné , he’s shined so far alongside Chelsea front man Didier Drogba. He’s blindingly quick and deceptively plays with a sleepy disposition.

He is another young player to watch at the World Cup and depending on if Aruna Didane is fit or not, I expect him to either start alongside Didier Drogba or come off the bench during games.

And if he makes a good impression at the World Cup, I expect the man with blonde ambition to attract numerous offers from the big clubs.

The 23-year-old midfielder with a funky surname (Yapi-Yapo) was born in Costa Marfi and arrived in Europe aged 19 when Beveren invited him to play for them in the Belgian top flight. Yapi-Yapo soon became one of a host of Ivorians plying their trade at Beveren and, along with the likes of Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboué, settled to his task exceptionally well.

Part of an exciting wave of young talent to arrive in Europe from the Ivory Coast, Gilles Yapi-Yapo is capable of unlocking the opposition defence at any moment.

In 2002-03, his second season, Yapi-Yapo netted 10 goals in 25 League matches and had developed into one of the finest prospects in Belgium by the time Nantes swooped for him in January 2004.

He played 15 times in the second half of last season and has featured in all but one of Les Canaris’ Ligue 1 fixtures this term. An exciting player to watch, the African youngster is a real crowd-pleaser and a chorus of ‘Yapi-Yapo’ is often the first chant heard in the stands of La Beaujoire on a Saturday evening.

At just 1m71cm, Yapi-Yapo is a diminutive figure, but his low centre of gravity helps him to duck and weave through challenges, while his vision often creates openings for Nantes’ front-two.

He might not start the World Cup games in midfield for Cote d’Ivoire but he is still a key member of their squad who can come on during a game and make a difference to the team.

Bakary Kone the Cote d’Ivoire and Nice striker could pass as the ‘Small man of Ivorian Football’. That is because the diminutive striker is only 1.63m tall. Almost unknown two year ago, Bakary ‘Baky’ Kone has come a long way since wearing out his boots in the streets of Abidjan’s Williamsville district.

Jean-Marc Guillou, founder of the ASEC Abidjan academy recalls: “One day, when I was passing through his district, some kids stopped me. They kept saying, ‘We’ve got Pele living here, you’ve got to take a look at him’. Then Kone came along. He was slightly built but I never doubted for one moment that he was a real find. I took him into the academy after a trial of just ten minutes, but I did tell him that the Pele nickname would have to go. That’s when he became Baky, and I think it’s better that way.”

Instantly bedazzled by Kone’s quality, Guillou took the time to shape this rough diamond, just as he had done with Kolo Toure, Aruna Dindane and Didier Zokora. Then, like his more celebrated elders before him, it was time for Baky to leave the nest. His initial destination in 2002, the Al-Itthiad club in Qatar, may have been somewhat surprising, but it was to prove a mere staging post in a journey that has continued to the highest level.

The following year, after signing for the Breton club Lorient in the French second division, his first season mirrored his career as a whole: a dizzying ascent. Despite a poor start, he rapidly got into the swing of the French game, finishing the campaign with a respectable ten goals in 33 appearances. But it was during the 2004/2005 season that Baky really made French football sit up and take notice. A class above most defenders in the division, his sensational displays stood out a mile throughout the season and left Lorient’s opponents punch-drunk. Clocking up 24 goals in 25 matches, he ended the campaign as top scorer and was voted player of the season by his Ligue 2 peers.

While the Merlus missed out on promotion, there was never any doubt that the only way Baky would go was up – to the top flight. His suitors were numerous, before Nice finally won his signature. While he knows that the Mediterranean outfit may not be ready to challenge for silverware this season, Kone is content to progress stage by stage. “I believe this club’s got everything I need to develop as a player,” he says. “I just want to keep on learning and improving.”

“Kone has all the qualities needed to become a truly great football player.” After just a few weeks of training, Nice coach Frederic Antonetti was already bowled over by his new recruit. For in the short time since leaving Ligue 2 outfit Lorient for the French top flight and the Côte d’Azur, Kone has certainly risen to the challenge with great panache. In his five appearances so far for the Ligue 1 side, the 23-year-old from Côte d’Ivoire has already succeeded in silencing any sceptics with his instant adaptation.

This desire for development also extends to the international stage. Called up last year by Côte d’Ivoire coach Henri Michel, the small striker is already firmly in the Frenchman’s good books. “He’s an explosive talent,” says Michel. “When he gets the ball, he seems to takes opponents out and create goalscoring positions effortlessly.

For the moment, however, Baky is not guaranteed a starting place with his country. “When opposition defenders are a bit tired late in the game, he’s the ideal player to bring on, as he’s likely to get us a goal through his blistering acceleration,” says the coach.

Winning Michel’s confidence and establishing himself alongside Didier Drogba or Dindane is just the kind of challenge Baky relishes: “Like all players, I want to be more than just my side’s secret weapon. I want to show that I can make a contribution to the team over the game as a whole. That’s what I’m working on and I’ve set myself a target for breaking into the first eleven. But if I don’t, it will be because the coach feels the time isn’t right and I will respect his decision, as I always do.”

Bakary Kone is one to watch at the World Cup.

Didier “Maestro” Zokora was born on December 14, 1980 in Abidjan. He learnt his football like most of the other Ivorian players on the streets of the streets of Yopougon, and later as part of the first generation of youngsters called up to the football academy established by Jean-Marc Guillou in Abidjan.

One of the most important lessons that Zokora learned at the academy was to remain humble. “You can only become big if you know how to stay small,” stated the sign on the front of the academy wall that Zokora would read every morning during his seven years there.

His humility does not stop the tenacious and energetic ball-winner from playing a captain’s role, however. “It’s in my nature to talk and to play like a leader,” he explained. “That’s how I got my nickname. It’s flattering but it’s not always easy to carry off.”

On graduating from Guillou’s academy, Zokora and one of his six brothers, Armando, were due to sign their first professional contracts with ASEC Abidjan. But when the pair made an ill-fated decision to celebrate the news on the coast in Bassam, Armando tragically lost his life. “Armando didn’t know how to swim. This big wave came and took him. May his soul rest in peace,” Zokora said.

Devastated by the event, Zokora threw himself into football and was soon making giant strides. In 2000, at the same time as his second youngest brother, Arnaud, became the third Zokora accepted at the academy, Didier sealed a move to Europe with Belgian side Genk.

“Maestro is a kid who has got it all,” says Strasbourg’s Arthur Boka, who played in Belgium at the same time as Zokora with Beveren. “He was more advanced both technically and physically than the others.”

Zokora played 126 League games in four years in Belgium, representing Genk in the Champions’ League

When Auxerre, Lille and Saint-Etienne came knocking, the gifted midfield enforcer chose Les Verts. “I’ve discovered a mythical club and (Saint-Etienne’s stadium) ‘Le Chaudron’. Now people can watch me in the Ivory Coast because the French games are televised. I don’t regret it,” he said.

Zokora plays in a withdrawn defensive role and is strong tactical player in the middle of the park. He uses his strength to win tackles and his instinctive positioning to break up attacks.

He will be a key player for the Elephants at the World Cup Finals and will surely partner Yaya Toure in the middle of the park if he is fit to play.