Jean-Louis Gasset: "We must play as a team at the 2023 AFCON"

Ivory Coast play the AFCON on home soil in two months. But first come the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Jean-Louis Gasset and his players. Hostilities begin on 17 November 2023 against Seychelles, on the renovated pitch at the Ebimpé Stadium in Anyama. Ahead of that crucial fixture, Gasset wanted to take stock of the latest friendlies. "In the first game, we were up against the current benchmark, the team who have set the example and given African sides confidence with an impeccable mindset," says the national team coach of the Elephants. "Against this team (Morocco), who are currently the best, we showed a lot of quality in our play. We created quite a few chances. We were leading 1-0 and should have had a more substantial advantage. So in future, we will have to learn to finish the job," was his assessment of the clash with the Moroccan semi-finalists at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Gasset admitted he liked the attitude shown against South Africa in the second game of the October window, which, like the Morocco match, took place at the Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny in Plateau. "And the second game, against South Africa, was a different scenario, where we didn't start as well but refused to accept defeat. We managed to put in the right ingredients to get back into the game and play to win it. I take from it that these are two games that allow us to move forward," he acknowledged.

The real tests are coming

This November 2023 feels like the month of the real tests for Jean-Louis Gasset ahead of the 2023 AFCON. Since his arrival in May 2022, he has in fact played 12 matches. They were qualifiers, but Ivory Coast were already qualified for "their" AFCON, or friendlies (Burkina, Burundi, Guinea, Togo, Morocco, South Africa). Now he will play crucial matches with the 2026 World Cup in mind, which is set to be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States. "For the first time, we are going to play two official matches. All the games we have played so far were friendlies and group games where we were already qualified. By contrast, these two matches in November will have something at stake. In three days, we will play for six points towards qualification for the 2026 World Cup. That will lead us to approach the second game differently", he says. To get there, the former Bordeaux coach has sent a strong message to his players, as well as warning them about his squad selection for the 2023 AFCON.

"The message is that the choices will be difficult because there are a lot of good players and some positions are covered three or four deep. We are asking them to get playing time so they are in form for a competition of this level, and to be consistent. That means stringing games together to build up rhythm. To be confident when they arrive. And that comes through results at their clubs. Above all, we are again asking them to have the right mentality, that is, to think TEAM! " he concluded in his interview with the communications department of the Ivorian Football Federation.

Sanh SEVERIN