In seven earlier attempts, Côte d’Ivoire did not reach the FIFA World Cup finals. In 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers they were hot on the heels of Tunisia for much of the time, but in the end failed to snatch the first place they needed to progress.

•••

The team’s worst defeat dates from 1971 when they went down 6-2 to Ghana.

•••

They have achieved 6-0 wins no less than three times, a record in world football. The matches in question were against Mali (1985), Botswana (1992) and Niger (2000).