Abidjan, January 22, 2024 – A wave of shock and sorrow swept through Ivory Coast on Monday as their national football team suffered a crushing defeat, being eliminated from the AFCON tournament with a 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea. The Ivorians, who displayed resilience in their earlier match against the Super Eagles with a 1-0 result, were left inconsolable.
The atmosphere turned somber as fans openly wept, with one distressed supporter shouting, “La Cote d’Ivoire est fine!” translating to “Cote d’Ivoire is finished.” Konate Aistan, cradling her little baby, joined the collective expression of grief.
When approached for her opinion, Aistan sobbed, “They’re very disappointing. Today, they’ve murdered sleep. They can’t sleep, and we can’t sleep. The nation is in mourning.” Ahmoudou, an Ivorian who chose to watch the Nigeria and Guinea Bissau match, expressed his lack of faith in the Ivorian team, stating, “I knew they had nothing to offer.”
“I ran away from heartache to watch Nigeria and Victor Osimhen. I’m happy Nigeria won, even though they were also disappointing in their play. They’re better than the Elephants,” he added.
The prevailing sentiment in Ivory Coast is akin to a national calamity, as the typically riotous nature accompanying their football outings was replaced by suppressed anger and somber disappointment. Despite the emotional turmoil, there were no reports of destructive behavior from the heartbroken Ivorian fans. The AFCON exit has left a lasting impact on the football-loving nation, prompting a reflection on the disappointing performance of their team in the tournament.
