Title holders, Ivory Coast learned of the death of their former coach Jean-Louis Gasset, in full preparation for the CAN 2025 Group F clash against Cameroon on Sunday in Marrakech, with the firm desire to “pay tribute” to him.
“We were devastated to hear this yesterday. It will be an additional motivation to pay tribute to him,” declared Saturday, spokesperson for the Elephants, Guela Doué – brother of the Parisian and French international Désiré -, who was not part of the crazy Ivorian adventure at home during CAN 2023.
Learned in the morning on Friday, the announcement of the death of Jean-Louis Gasset, coach of Côte d’Ivoire from May 2022 to January 2024, first had to be digested. “At first, we didn’t believe it. We thought it was a rumor that had come out on the web, as it often does, and when we got confirmation, it was a total dejection. We immediately went over all the positive images that we went through with him,” mentioned Émerse Faé, the current Ivorian coach who was one of Gasset’s deputies before succeeding him in the middle of the competition, two years ago.
“Not only were half of the players present (two years ago) and lived with Jean-Louis, but all the staff, all the stewarding staff, all the medical staff, all the logistics, all the Ivorian delegation knew him,” explained Faé, deeply affected. She was a caring person, she was a very good person and it is true that it was difficult for the entire delegation to learn this news. »
Minute of silence and applause
The day before in Marrakech, before starting their training session, the entire group observed a minute of silence followed by loud applause in tribute to Gasset, then they got back to work. The Elephants have a title to defend and a first big test to pass on Sunday against Cameroon, “the enemy brother, the favorite rival, the in-laws”, as Faé, the other favorite of their group especially, described it.
Their 2023 title, they owe it in part to Montpellier, their coach at the start of “their” CAN, two years ago, before Gasset resigned after the third group match and a debacle against Equatorial Guinea (4-0 defeat).
“When I see the players in the locker room crying it hurts me. We tried, we gave everything, I think. When you have a scenario like that, bordering on nightmare, there is not much to say or do,” Gasset thought a few hours before presenting his resignation to Idriss Diallo.
After one victory and two defeats, Côte d’Ivoire was on the verge of elimination, no longer hoping to advance to the round of 16 until the end of improbable scenarios over which it was no longer in control.
“The most important challenge of his life”
The former deputy of Laurent Blanc, launched into the “most important challenge of his life”, saw his failure and preferred to withdraw in the middle of the competition to try to create an electric shock among his group.
“His time at the head of the national team contributed decisively to the success of the Elephants during their African Cup of Nations at home, making his action a lasting part of the sporting history of Côte d’Ivoire,” noted the Ivorian Federation.
Two years ago, the Elephants showed their strength in adversity. Far from being favorites in their succession, a new twist of fate could once again allow them to surpass themselves.
