Franck Kessié, symbol of a Ivory Coast team that has managed to raise its head

Published on : 03/02/2024 – 00:09

6 mins

The African Cup of Nations feels like an emotional roller coaster for Franck Kessié. Like his selection, Ivory Coast, the 27-year-old midfielder has been on alternating current since the start of the competition played at home by the Elephants.

The “president” – his nickname – and his teammates had a complicated start to CAN 2024 with a defeat against Nigeria (0-1) and a humiliation at home against Equatorial Guinea (0-4), then a qualification in round of 16 came down to the wire thanks to Morocco’s victory against Zambia (1-0)… before overthrowing the reigning African champion, Senegal (1-1, tab 5-4), during the first knockout match.

Whether for worse or better, Franck Kessié was there every time. During the opening match against Guinea-Bissau (2-0), he started in the best possible way with an assist for Seko Fofana in the 4th minute.

“A CAN at home means a lot, we are all aware of what awaits us, we have worked hard,” he said at a press conference before the first meeting. “Let the supporters do their best to support us, we for our part will draw on our last resources to give the best and please them.”

But what followed was more like a nightmare: the Elephants plunged mentally, suffered two defeats and came close to elimination from the group stages until the last minute. Franck Kessié, one of the pillars of the team, then found himself on the front line to face criticism for this disaster.

“Never considered giving up”

“It’s clear that, when Ivory Coast plays badly, it’s easier to index a player like Franck Kessié because I’m one of the veterans and I’m also one of the players who has the most “experience in this team”, recognized the player at the microphone of beIN Sports after the victory against Senegal. “So it’s normal. It’s normal that I receive criticism to be able to protect the youngest. So I accept it and the criticism allows us to work and go as far as possible.”

During the match against the Lions of Téranga, Kessié started the match on the bench – a strong choice from Emerse Faé for his first match as coach of Côte d’Ivoire. But as soon as he came into play in the 73rd minute, the experienced “president” – 69 caps with the Elephants, 8 goals – showed composure by equalizing at the end of the match from the penalty spot (86th) then scoring the shot to the winning goal.

A return to grace for him and his teammates, who have come a long way. “When you came out of a match against Equatorial Guinea where you were beaten in front of your audience, in the stadium that bears the name of the president, we really felt this frustration and this humiliation. It’s as if we were the sold out of the nation. After the Morocco match we were drafted and I think we had nothing more to lose. And as they say, a ghost cannot be afraid”, explained Franck Kessié.

The midfielder has not been one to give up since the start of his professional career. Born on December 19, 1996 in Ouragahio, Franck Kessié grew up in a modest family. After playing in local teams, including Zady FC, at the age of 14 he joined Stella Club d’Adjamé, in Abidjan. First among the youth, then in the first team.

Quickly spotted by French clubs (FC Nantes and Tours FC), his tests in France were inconclusive. But he did not give up on joining Europe, and his bet paid off when he signed for three years at Atalanta Bergamo (Serie A) in January 2015.

The president of the Stella Club in Adjamé had pushed him to make this choice. Salif Bictogo also remembers the strength of character that Franck Kessié already had then, as he told So Foot: “Italy is a stronghold of world football. He knew that he would learn a lot tactically, that he would work physically. I often had him on the phone. It was hard for him, far from his mother and his six brothers and sisters. But he hung in there, never complained and never considered giving up.”

“Still a long way to go”

Franck Kessié established himself in Bergamo, where he was spotted by several major European clubs… including AC Milan, with whom he signed in 2017. With the Rossoneri, he played 202 matches in five seasons and scored 36 times . Left free, he joined FC Barcelona for a season. But the adventure was cut short for the Blaugrana, notably due to insufficient playing time. After a year, he joined Saudi Arabia, in Al-Ahli, where he is still today.

On the selection side, the Ivorian midfielder tasted the flavor of international matches at a young age: he played his first match on September 6, 2014 at the age of 17 years, 8 months and 18 days. But despite his precocity, we rarely saw him again with the Elephants, until coach Michel Dussuyer recalled him in 2016.

“Kessié was only 21 years old, but already very mature. He developed himself as a player, but also as a man. I discovered a shy, but very determined boy, who gives himself the means to succeed “It shows, on and off the pitch,” the coach recalls to So Foot.

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Since then, the “president” has been a driving force in the Ivorian selection. Even if he is currently in competition with Jean-Michaël Seri – author of a full match as sentry against Senegal – Franck Kessié was also able to be there in the important moments of the match against the Lions of Téranga.

“We had to give everything to create a surprise, the pressure was no longer on our side. That’s what we did. We responded and thank God we won. But there is still a way to go “, he summed up after the match. And to continue the journey, we will have to overcome Mali on Saturday.