Côte d'Ivoire U20

In 1995 they reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations U-20 and lost to Nigeria; eight years later, in 2003, the same story played out against Egypt.

What the tournament runs did produce was a pipeline into the senior side. Adama Traoré came through the U20 ranks between 2007 and 2009 before establishing himself higher up; Serge Aurier followed a similar path, and more recently Amad Diallo wore the same shirt on his way toward a professional career in Europe.

The team trains at the Centre Technique National de Bingerville, on the edge of Abidjan, but for matches that matter it moves into the city itself, to the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, which holds 60,000. The kit stays close to the senior team's colours, orange and white, and the nickname follows the same logic: Les Éléphanteaux, the young elephants trailing behind Les Éléphants.