Ivory Coast Appoint Former Belgium Coach Marc Wilmots as Head Coach

Former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots has been appointed to lead Ivory Coast’s World Cup qualifying bid, the country’s football authorities said on Tuesday. The 48-year-old has been out of football since his departure from the Red Devils after Euro 2016, having previously taken them to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Frenchman Dussuyer quit the Elephants after they exited the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations at the group stage. Wilmots, who has signed a two-year contract with an option to renew, will get the chance to see his new charges in action almost immediately as Ivory Coast play two friendlies.

However he will not be in charge of the team for those matches, against Russia on Friday in Krasnador and then Senegal three days later in Franceas, as Ibrahim Kamara will be in temporary control.

Wilmots will have his first press conference as Ivory Coast boss on Wednesday, and then oversee his maiden game in charge two days later as they take on Russia on 24 March and Senegal on 27 March in friendlies.

The Belgian has been set the task of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the Africa Cup of Nations a year later.

Ivory Coast are top of their World Cup qualifying pool with four points from two matches, ahead of Gabon, Morocco and Mali, with only the group winners going to Russia.

When the Nations Cup campaign kicks off in June, the Elephants will battle it out with Guinea, Central African Republic and Rwanda for a place at the finals in Cameroon.

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