While the CAN has just ended, the players of the victorious Ivory Coast team were received this Tuesday, February 13 at the presidential palace, to receive congratulations and gifts from the hands of the Head of State.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Abidjan, Marine Jeannin
The players are the first to enter, greeted by a round of applause, before the fanfare announces the arrival of President Alassane Ouattara. After singing the national anthem, the Abidjanaise, the players as well as officials of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) and members of the management team were presented with distinctions from the National Order, the highest distinction in Côte d’Ivoire. Four were awarded the order of commander, twelve were made officers and thirty-four knights.
The president of the FIF Yacine Idriss Diallo paid tribute to the head of state by adopting martial vocabulary: “ Here is your commando. Commando, are you there? “, he asked the players. “ Yes “, they responded in unison. And President Diallo continued: “ Excellency, here are your soldiers, they carry a message, namely that the mission you entrusted to them has been accomplished. » The team captain, Max Alain Gradel, took over: “ Mr. President, here in this team, we have children from the entire region of Côte d’Ivoire. And we have shown that a united Ivory Coast is capable of many things. »
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Jackpot for winners
Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé then announced the amount of rewards awarded: an envelope of 300 million CFA francs for the FIF, another of 400 million for the technical staff, 100 million for the coach Emerse Faé and, for the players , “ the President of the Republic gives you two gifts. For each player, a villa of 50 million francs and an envelope of 50 million CFA francs “.
President Alassane Ouattara concluded the ceremony by addressing a congratulatory speech to the heroes: “ I felt how much you were hurt by this defeat against Equatorial Guinea. I said: “II know these young people, they may stumble, but they will not fall.“And you did not fall, you won! Your ardor, your resilience, your determination, the support of our fellow citizens brought victory home. »
The players then symbolically presented him with the African Cup of Nations. The head of state asked the team to prepare to keep the cup in Ivory Coast, because the CAN 2025, which will take place in Morocco, is already on the horizon.
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