The third was the most improbable of all. As hosts of the 2023 edition they lost 4–0 to Equatorial Guinea in the group stage, changed coach mid-tournament and went through as one of the best third-placed teams. Under Emerse Faé they then beat holders Senegal on penalties, Mali after extra time and DR Congo, and came from behind to beat Nigeria 2–1 in the final in Abidjan, Sébastien Haller scoring the winner nine minutes from time.
Long before the golden generation there was Laurent Pokou, top scorer at the 1968 and 1970 tournaments, whose five goals against Ethiopia in 1970 are still the record for a single AFCON match. Didier Drogba captained the side in the 2006 and 2012 finals, and Yaya and Kolo Touré played in all three finals between 2006 and 2015.
Morocco 2025 ended in the quarter-finals with a 3–2 defeat by Egypt. After the World Cup the federation let Faé’s contract expire and, in August 2026, brought back Hervé Renard, coach of the 2015 champions. His first competitive match is the one Ivorians circle every time: Ghana, in Bouaké, on 24 September 2026, opening a Group C that also includes The Gambia and Somalia. The top two qualify.