The 64-year-old Pokou is second only to Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o in goals scored at the African Cup. He scored a record five goals in one match against Ethiopia in 1970.

He says Ivory Coast has “high level players” with “the quality to win this cup.”

The Elephants won all three group matches without conceding a goal to set up a quarterfinal match against co-host Equatorial Guinea.

Ivory Coast defender Souleymane Bamba says having stars from the past around camp is a “massive” help because they “give us some very good advice.”

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