“The soccer gods can be cruel. Nobody knows that more than Les Éléphants of Ivory Coast. For the third-straight World Cup, the nation finished third in its group and failed to move on to the knockout stages. In a way, this exit is more painful than previous departures in Germany and South Africa. For this trailblazing collection of superstars, the dream is over, almost certainly for good. The tale of Les Éléphants becomes more popular with each passing World Cup (although it can often carry with it a faint unpleasant scent of paternalism).” Grantland