Team profile: Cote D'Ivoire

Midfield general Yaya Touré did more than any other player to win Manchester City the English Premier League, and his combination of technical skill, athletic power and tactical awareness makes him quite simply the best central midfielder in the world right now. At age 31, he’s at the peak of his powers in what could be his last World Cup. Captain and striker Didier Drogba is always a potential game changer, but at 36 he may be reduced to cameo roles.

Coming back from 2–0 down to beat Serbia 3–2 in Munich at their first World Cup in 2006. They failed to progress beyond the group stage in either of their previous tournaments, but both times they were drawn in groups with teams among the favorites (Portugal and Brazil in 2010, Argentina and the Netherlands in 2006).

The “Golden Generation” has left it too late. Despite their brilliant achievements with Chelsea (Drogba, Kalou), Barcelona and Manchester City (Yaya Touré) and Arsenal (Kolo Touré), the most gifted Ivorian side ever has failed to shine at the World Cup. Being grouped with Colombia, Greece and Japan gives it a better chance than ever of progressing to the knockout stage. But its round-of-16 opponent would likely be either Italy, Uruguay or England, which may be a tall order.

For the core of this richly talented side, 2014 will be their third World Cup campaign together. Sure, they’re aging, but they’re an athletic group of players, and the cohesion they’ve established over the past decade may allow them to make the World Cup a country for old men.

Drogba and Co. have carried their nation’s hopes not only in the stadium but outside as well. After qualifying for the World Cup in 2006, Drogba and his teammates fell to their knees and read an impassioned plea to the government of then-President Laurent Gbagbo and the rebel forces that controlled the north of the country to stop their civil war. Today, the team is credited with helping end the fratricidal conflict.