During the ceremony held in honor of the national football team, the Elephants, at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, captain Max-Alain Gradel delivered a moving speech in the presence of the President of the Republic of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara.
The Ivory Coast football team was honored by President Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, during a ceremony organized at the Presidential Palace in Plateau in recognition of their victory over the Nigerian team in the final of the 34th African Cup of Nations (CAN). During this event, praises were given not only to the players but also to the coaching staff and representatives of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF). Speaking on behalf of his teammates, Max-Alain Gradel expressed his thanks to the president for his constant support, particularly after the difficult moments following their game against Equatorial Guinea during the group matches.
“A Japanese proverb says: we learn little from victory but much from defeat. We learned a great deal on the evening of January 29, when we lost to Equatorial Guinea. The most formidable and difficult lesson we learned was that we were alone with our fate. We were caught between the shock of defeat and the anger of our supporters. Apart from our families, everyone had turned their backs on us. No one wanted to meet with us, call us, or even see how we were doing. Mr. Idriss Diallo asked us to keep the faith, to cling to that glimmer of hope for qualification that existed,” said Max-Alain Gradel.
He continued by adding: “There was this message that you (The President of the Republic) posted. This message that told us not to get discouraged and that you were certain that Ivory Coast would have the CAN a third time very soon. What we felt were not the words of the President of the Republic or the Head of State. They were the words of a father, a loving father, who gives confidence because he trusts. These words were a breath of fresh air for each one of us. In our language, you created something. I would like to say thank you on behalf of my teammates here present. Thank you for what you said and the moment you chose to say it. In this team of Elephants, you have children from all regions of the Ivory Coast.“
He also mentioned that there was an unprecedented solidarity among them. “We showed Ivory Coast that a united Ivory Coast is capable of many things. In the history of this CAN, there are several small stories. You know those of Haller (Sébastien), Adingra (Simon), Kessié (Franck), Aurier (Serge), coach Faé (Emerse). Perhaps less so of Evan Ndicka, Seko Fofana, Nicolas Pépé, Oumar Diakité, Jean-Michael Séri. But the one we all have in common is the story of a group of players, coaches, technical staff, and federation who found themselves at the bottom of an abyss. A group of men and women who learned that to accept their destiny, to face their responsibilities (…) A group that knew it needed the support of its President of the Republic,” he adds.
Before concluding his speech with: “You have created something strong within us. Our responsibility is to ensure that this spirit, these values are preserved, passed on from generation to generation. It is a legacy as President Idriss Diallo said: ‘We are your commando.’ At your orders for the next mission.“
