Ivory Coast emerged as a true African giant in recent years, driven by a generation of talented players at the peak of their game in the top leagues of world football. The likes of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Kolo Toure, Aruna Dindane and Emmanuel Eboue are regulars with some of the world's top clubs and form the backbone of the Elephants' impressive rise up the ranks of the international game.
They finished runners-up at the 2006 CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt, where they only lost to the host nation on penalties, and also went through to the semi-finals of the 2008 event in neighbouring Ghana. More importantly, the Ivorians qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany, their first appearance in the greatest footballing show on earth.
The Stallions of Burkina Faso will be seeking to start a new chapter as they embark on their 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa preliminary campaign as they attempt to set aside the disappointment of recent qualifying failures.
The Burkinabe begin a new era by turning to Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte and a new talented generation players, exemplified by the recent Olympique Marseille signing Charles Kabore and the German-based Jonathan Pitroipa, subject of much recent transfer speculation.
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