In addition to Kone, four other players who had been at the 2006 World Cup were dropped, including Kanga Akale, Abdoulaye Meite, Emerse Fae and Gilles Yapi Yapo.

Goalkeeper Vincent Angban and striker Traore Lacina completed the list of out-of-favor players.

The Ivorians have been drawn in the group of death along with Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.

Ivory Coast squad:

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Daniel Yeboah (ASEC Mimosas), Aristide Zogbo (Maccabi Netanya)

Defenders: Sol Bamba (Hibernian), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal), Siaka Tiene (Valenciennes), Kolo Toure (Manchester City), Guy Demel (Hamburg), Steve Gohouri (Wigan), Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes)

Midfielders: Didier Zokora (Seville), Romaric (Seville), Cheick Tiote (FC Twente), Yaya Toure (Barcelona), Jean-Jacques Gosso (Monaco), Abdel Kader Keita (Galatasaray)

Forwards: Aruna Dindane (Lekhwiya), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Didier Drogba (Chelsea, Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Gervinho (Lille), Emmanuel Kone (CFR Cluj).