President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Outtara, has honoured the triumphant players and technical staff of the national football team, the Elephants, for their victory in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Despite facing challenges during the group stage, Ivory Coast astounded the continent by winning the 34th edition of AFCON.
Their journey culminated in a thrilling final showdown against Nigeria, who had their sights set on securing their fourth title.
In a gripping match, the Elephants initially fell behind in the first half with a goal from William Troost-Ekong of Nigeria.
However, they mounted a stunning comeback in the second half, netting two goals courtesy of Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller, ultimately clinching their third AFCON title.
During a special gathering to commend the players, Emerse Fae, who served as the interim coach and led the team to victory, was bestowed with a prestigious award of €150,000.
Additionally, the entire technical staff received a collective sum of €600,000, while each player was honoured with €76,000 in recognition of their outstanding achievement.
Also, the Elephants were awarded a substantial prize sum of $7 million (£5.54 million) by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their triumph, while Nigeria received $4 million in recognition of their commendable performance in the tournament.
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