Cymru and Africa (pt.2) – Cote D’Ivoire
In part 1 of this series looking at the footballing connections between Wales and Africa, the only time we have played Confederation of African Football member was chronicled: Tunisia in 1998.
Let’s now head to the African Cup of Nations hosts:
Cote D’Ivoire
Though Wales have never faced this year’s AFCON hosts in a senior international we faced them in the 2017 Toulon Tournament group stage. It cannot be a coincidence that after lighting up Euro 2016 in France, Wales under 20s were invited to make their debut at the annual invitational tournament the following year.
Rob Page was the coach of a squad that included future internationals such as Daniel James, Chris Mepham, Tyler Roberts, Joe Rodon, Mark Harris and Nathan Broadhead. Regan Poole captained the squad.
After an encouraging goalless draw against the hosts, and a 1-0 win over Bahrian, Wales took an early lead through George Thomas, another future senior cap, against the Ivorians who fought back to lead 2-1 heading into the final minutes when Thomas capitalised on an error by the Ivorian goalkeeper under pressure from Rodon to equalise.
Wales finished runners up to Cote D’Ivoire but went home undefeated. Luke Pilling was named goalkeeper of the tournament and made the team of the tournament. The overall player of the tournament was a certain David Brooks who had accepted an England call-up unaware that minutes before it was to be announced he was to be included in the Wales squad. Confusion reigned, keyboard warriors hammered Brooks, but all turned out well in the end. The following year he was the Wales Player of the Year
The goals can be viewed here.
Another Ivorian connection with Wales is Wilfried Zaha’s loan spell at Cardiff City in 2014. Struggling for game time after his £10m move to Manchester United, Zaha moved in the January transfer window. He was already an England international having come on late vs Sweden – and in time to be on the pitch for that Ibrahimovic overhead kick – and another late substitute appearance against Scotland in August 2013. Twenty minutes of friendly football did not however tie Zaha to England and the paperwork transferring his allegiance to the country of his birth was completed in time to be included in The Elephants’ 2017 AFCON squad. In a warm up match he made his second international debut….once again against Sweden!
Wilfried Bony is an Ivorian international who made a big impression in his first spell at Swansea, took the money at Man City, and then made much less of an impression back at the Liberty. Was training with Newport for seemingly months and months while he was pretending to be a professional footballer. Maybe his biggest contribution to Welsh football is to come however, as the father of Geoffroy who’s making an impression at Swansea’s academy and younger brother Orphee. Both are Wales qualified.
Souleymane ‘Sol’ Bamba scored the wining goal in the Severnside derby which might well have been enough to secure legend status at Cardiff City without his performances that followed in his five year spell in the capital. Born in France he started his career with Paris St Germain before moving to clubs in Scotland, England, Italy and Türkiye before arriving in Wales. Bamba had won all his 46 Ivorian caps two years before he had signed for Cardiff including playing in the 2008 Olympics and the eventful 2010 AFCON at which Bamba was part of the Ivorian squad that reached the quarter-finals. This was the tournament in which the Togo bus was attacked by rebels., and the Ivorian squad was issued death threats. He was part of the Ivorian 2010 World Cup squad but had little playing time. He played more at the 2012 edition where Cote D’Ivoire lost the final to Zambia on penalties. He was surprisingly overlooked for the 2015 edition and never played again for The Elephants
Like Bamba, born in France to Ivorian parents, Cédric Kipré spent the 2022-23 season at Cardiff City on loan from West Brom. He has a single u23 cap for Cote D’Ivoire won vs Togo in 2018.
Other Ivorians to have played in Wales include current Cardiff winger Yakou Meïté who won two full caps while at Reading; Yves Zama (Bangor City, 2018); u20 cap Souleymane Coulibaly (Newport County, 2016); 48 cap Abdoulaye Méïté who spent an inauspicious few weeks on non-contract terms at Newport in late 2016; and Tavio D’Almeida who impressed Neil Warnock on trial from Auxerre. D’Almeida made one EFL Cup appearance in three seasons. “Every story got an ending, but in life, every ending announce a new start,” he proclaimed on Instagram when he signed. That story sees D’Almeida currently playing for South Georgia Tormenta FC in the American third tier.
Lastly, Wales youth international Prince Cisse. Son of Djibril was born in France to Ivorian parents is eligible via his mum, from Ynys Môn, who married Djibril at Bodelwyddan Castle in 2005. The Price of Wales headlines have already been written by hopeful journalists.
