Ace Football presents a detailed list of the best midfielders to have played for the Elephants.
The majority of the total African players in European football consists of midfielders. Several generations of African midfielders have reached the top level by combining their well-known physicality with either defensive or offensive traits.
Midfielders from Ivory Coast have not been an exception to this rule. The nation has introduced several legendary figures in different areas of midfield in their football history.
Let’s take a look at our picks for the top five Ivorian midfielders of all time.
5- Tchiressoua Guel
Guel started his career by playing for ASEC Mimosas before moving to Marseille in 1998. He played for several other Ligue 1 sides during his career, including Saint-Etienne, Lorient, and AS Nancy.
The Ivorian star won Coupe de France with Lorient in 2002, establishing his reputation as one of the most promising stars in the French top flight. He also secured an undisputed place in Ivory Coast’s midfield for several years.
Having made 72 caps during his 13-year-long international career, Guel represented Ivory Coast in five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
4- Cheick Tioté
One of the most underrated players in Ivory Coast’s AFCON-winning squad of 2015, Tiote started his career at Anderlecht in 2005.
He then moved to FC Twente, where he won the Eredivisie two seasons after his arrival. The Ivorian star is, however, mostly known for his long spell at Newcastle, where he featured in 156 games for the Premier League side.
After making his international debut for the Elephants in 2009, Tiote went on to play 55 times for the national team. He represented Ivory Coast in two World Cups and Four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, winning the 2015 edition of the AFCON.
Roughly a month after his move to Beijing Enterprise in 2017, Tiote died of cardiac arrest during a training session aged 30.
3- Serge Maguy
Maguy was already an established star at Africa Sports when Atletico Madrid signed him in 1995. However, his time in Spain did not last for more than a few months, with the Ivorian moving back to his country to play for ASEC Mimosas.
During the mid to late 1990s, Maguy’s performances in the Ivorian Ligue 1 secured a regular place in the Elephants’ lineup for him. He played a key part in Ivory Coast’s first-ever AFCON win in 1992, taking his total caps tally to 58.
2- Didier Zokora
Zokora started his European career by playing for Genk and Saint-Etienne. However, his performances during the 2006 World Cup earned him a move to Tottenham, where he featured in 88 games.
A move to Sevilla in 2008 then provided Zokora with a chance to establish his place among La Liga’s top midfielders. He won the Copa del Rey the Red-Whites in 2010.
At the international level, Zakora made 123 appearances for the Elephants after his international debut in 2000. Ivory Coast’s most-capped player represented the nation in three World Cups.
1- Yaya Toure
Widely considered among the best African midfielders of all time, Toure was everything you expect from a top-class central midfielder.
The Ivory Coast great won the Champions League with Barcelona before moving to Manchester City, where he became a club legend. His performances were integral to the Citizens’ historic Premier League win in 2012, but he did not stop there.
Toure won two more Premier League titles at the Etihad Stadium while claiming four African Player of the Year prizes. The former ASEC Mimosas star captained Ivory Coast in their second AFCON win in 2015. He made a total of 101 caps for the Elephants, representing the nation in three World Cups.
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