France has rarely crossed paths with the Ivory Coast.
Both times were in the 21st century.
If the most recent of these confrontations has left no tangible trace in history (0-0), the most "oldest" has entered the annals of the selection of double world champions by the grace of the return of one of his favorite sons (3-0).
August 17, 2005, Zidane this… Hérault
Evoking Ivorian football in Marseille, a cosmopolitan city par excellence, is like taking a leap into the past of almost two decades when a certain Didier Drogba, all claws out, made OM fans swoon with ease.
But on August 17, 2005, thirteen months after the idol's departure from Chelsea, many Marseille fans swallowed the 170 km separating them from Montpellier for another local icon: Zinedine Zidane.
Or how an ordinary friendly match, nestled in the heart of summer, becomes a national cause through the magic of a game genius.
A year after announcing his international retirement, at the end of a Euro 2004 with "twilight" reflections, the 1998 Ballon d'Or changed its position to save the country.
“I come back to something very important for me: having stopped the France team.
I decided to come back to the Blues, explains Zizou soberly.
A year later, I go back on a decision on which I was categorical.
Badly embarked on the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, the band at Domenech welcomed this reinforcement, accompanied by those of Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele, like a gift from heaven.
They are more than 30,000 to fill the stands of the Mosson in order to be able to say later: "I was there".
They do not shun contagious happiness.
The coach, quick to often row against the tide, may well hammer a “Above all, no euphoria!
Too many symbols accompany the victory of the Blues for these privileged people to refrain from seeing life in pink, at least for a while.
First this score of 3-0, the trademark of the Habs since an unforgettable July 12, 1998 against Brazil.
Then, Zidane's winning comeback which embellishes the event with an essential goal, eleven years to the day after his debut for the France team against the Czech Republic.
Even congratulated for William Gallas author of the first goal of his career with the Blues on his birthday (28 years old).
So many candles too and identical gift for Thierry Henry.
So many joys in a single match, mixed with the communicative jubilation of the public, that finally seems almost too good.
But so precious for the confidence capital before meeting the Faroe Islands on September 3 in Lens and especially Ireland (then leader of group 4), on September 7 in Dublin, in these qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup. the essential in the form of viaticum for Germany.
But this is another story.
November 15, 2016, zero and tasteless
In 2016, a very revamped team faced Côte d'Ivoire in Lens.
Icon Sport/Dave Winter
2016 draws its last lights.
At the time of taking leave of a year where they will have been familiar with the summits at the Euro before seeing their sweet dreams of conquest shattered by a wicked strike from the Portuguese Eder, the Blues have an ultimate duty to fulfill.
This takes the form of a friendly match in Lens against Côte d'Ivoire.
Four days after a success against Sweden (2-1), in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Didier Deschamps changes everything or almost.
Pure product of the artesian training center Raphaël Varane inherits the captain's armband for the sixth time in his career.
Benoît Costil and Sébastien Corchia show off their international stripes just like Thomas Lemar.
For the first two, this is their only cape to date.
The third, on the other hand, will participate in the Russian epic twenty months later.
On the ground, there is no need to wait for flights.
Routine business is more expedited.
The Elephants use this match to prepare for the defense of their continental title a few months later.
Without a providential reflex stop from the left hand of Costil, Pépé would have offered victory to his team.
Too muddled to really disconcert their opponent, the France team consoled themselves by extending their invincibility at Lens to nine games since 1976.
Neither the challengers nor the young people were able to move the lines.
Too bad for us, and especially for them.
For the first and last time in 2016, the Blues were whistled by their public.
A final at the Euro, 13 wins in 17 games, 36 goals scored and 12 conceded, a backbone unearthed, talents in the making launched: 2016 will be registered, all the same, as a major year in the balance sheet of Didier Deschamps .