Colours: Orange shirts, socks and shorts, all with green trim
Nickname: The Elephants
Previous World Cup appearances: 1: 2006
Best World Cup performance: Did not get past the first round in 2006
Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson
Most capped player: Didier Zokora 84
Top goalscorer: Didier Drogba 42
Talking points:
The change of coach just months before the start of the World Cup came despite an unbeaten run in the qualifying competition and has led to allegations of discord in the camp, a situation Eriksson will need to sort out before the team's opening game against Portugal on June 15. The Swede is a big-name trainer to boost the image and ego of Ivorian football but just what he can achieve with less than a month of preparation remains to be seen. The Elephants have the toughest draw of all the African sides with Brazil also in their group. The extent to which they rely on Didier Drogba has been evidenced in the past and when the Chelsea forward has an off-day, the team have few alternatives.
Players to watch:
Drogba will be keen keenly watched as the talisman of the side, with support up front from his club mate Salomon Kalou. Yaya Toure of Barcelona in the heart of midfield is another genuine world-class player and the experienced pair of Kolo Tore and Emmanuel Eboue in defence give the side more big-name recognition.
(Compiled by Mark Gleeson in Johannesburg; Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
