Former Chelsea midfielder and Ivory Coast legend Salomon Kalou has weighed in on the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, expressing optimism about his country’s chances in what he deems “the best AFCON ever.””I am not being biased but I think this is the best AFCON ever. The stadium, the playing surfaces and the quality of the matches – it really shows African football is growing and getting better,” Kalou remarked, reflecting on the overall improvements witnessed in the tournament.Kalou’s confidence in Ivory Coast’s potential stems from their impressive performance, notably their victory over Senegal, the previous tournament winner, on the road to the quarterfinals. “Ivory Coast beat the previous winner of the tournament Senegal on the way to the quarterfinals and this proves they have a big chance to go all the way and win the tournament,” Kalou emphasized, underlining the team’s resilience and ability to rise to the occasion.AFCON 2023: Franck Kessie sends the champions home, the Elephants make it!Jean-Louis Gasset started the tournament as Ivory Coast coach but was sacked following a 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea in the group stage which was their heaviest ever home defeat. He was replaced by local tactician Emerse Fae and Kalou opines this puts The Elephants in a good position; “When the team is not functioning well, the blame is always on the coach. Now we (Ivory Coast) don’t have that anymore.”##NAJAVA_MECA_7838683##He lauded the team’s statement against Senegal, highlighting their character and capacity to secure crucial victories. Looking ahead to the upcoming challenge against Mali in the quarterfinals, Kalou emphasized the importance of experience. “The game against Mali will be very different and tough but Ivory Coast has very experienced players and they need to use this to their advantage,” he asserted, underscoring the need for strategic utilization of the team’s seasoned players to navigate through tough encounters.##NAJAVA_MECA_7842777##Kalou, a seasoned observer of African football, not only believes in Ivory Coast’s capabilities but also finds joy in the overall spectacle of AFCON 2023. “I have enjoyed seeing big players like Osimhen stepping up for Nigeria, the likes of Mauritania, Cape Verde doing well and giants like Senegal and Morocco exiting the tournament,” Kalou remarked. “It basically shows that AFCON is a great tournament and it is getting better.” AFCON 2023: Mali forward calls for improvement ahead of Ivory Coast showdown
