Max Alain-Gradel, an Elephant who will be greatly missed in Ivory Coast

3 mins

Farewell to tears! When leaving in the 78th minute of the Ivory Coast-Benin friendly match (2-2) in Amiens, Max-Alain Gradel could not hold back her tears. He kissed each of his teammates, headed towards the exit, held up the African Cup one last time, and walked towards the bench. The last strides of an Elephant, a 175cm giant who is leaving the national team after 13 years, almost to the day, and 112 caps.

“ JI played my first national team match against Benin, recalls Gradel. Today (SATURDAY), I play my last match against the Benign. It’s destiny, it’s life that wants that because we have to remember that we were supposed to play Argentina before changing opponent “.

At the service of others

Max-Alain closes the chapter of the Ivorian selection at the age of 36, and a page in the history of Ivorian football is being turned at the same time. The striker, born in Abidjan and who grew up in Paris, will have been through the selection over 13 years, asserting himself in turn as a young hope among Drogba and Kolo Touré, executive alongside Serey Dié and Serge Aurier, and Finally guide for young people on the last CAN. Each time in his characteristic style, increasingly rare, as a corridor player or winger. Restless, intelligent, possessing a physique that allowed him to constantly pace his corridor, Max-Alain Gradel will leave the memory of a player aside very often in the service of others.

He will remain, with Serge Aurier, the only Ivorians to have lifted two African Cups, in 2015 and 2024, after playing in the final lost in 2012 against Zambia. Substitute in the final in 2012, starter in 2015 and 2024, he will be, at the last CAN, like the Elephants who warded off fate to finish on the roof of Africa. Max-Alain Gradel started the competition on the substitutes’ bench before earning his starting stripes in the round of 16 against Senegal and finishing with the captain’s armband during the final against Nigeria.

We suspected that at 36 years old, after having once again reached the summit with Ivory Coast, the former Saint-Etienne player would soon put his boots away for the selection. “Honestly, I prepared two years before the CAN and I had set this CAN at home as a goal. It was the last big challenge that remained for me and the decision was made well before. But I knew what I was going to do and I was just waiting for the right moment to make my decision », admitted Gradel who celebrated his retirement with a goal against Benin.

Today, Max-Alain Gradel, who believes he still has “ beautiful leftovers » will continue his playing career with the Turkish club Gaziantep. He leaves with his head held high and “ with the feeling of duty accomplished “.

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