'I think we have a mindset that can compete with those teams,' said the Ivory Coast and Chelsea legend.
Salomon Kalou thinks Yan Diomande should sign for Chelsea! Picture: Backpagepix
Ivory Coast and Chelsea legend Salomon Kalou believes it may not benefit Norway to have rested key players when they take on the Elephants on Tuesday in the last 32 of the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Norway’s Haaland decision
Norway made the decision to leave out the likes of Erling Braut Haaland and Martin Odegaard for their final Group I clash with France, having already guaranteed qualification for the knockout rounds.
France won the match 4-1 and Norway will now hope Haaland and Odegaard are fresh and firing when they play on Tuesday at the Dallas Stadium (kick off 7pm SA time).
“I don’t think so (that it will help Norway),” said Kalou, however.
“I think that is even hard for them, if you are a player that hasn’t played, having to come back and play a new game. We have players who have been continuing at that level and will feel good. If you rest eight or nine of your players it is different. I don’t think it favours them … you need to get your rhythm back.
“Great players know how to do that but I don’t think the Ivory Coast should be afraid of that.”
Wins over Curacao and Ecuador were enough to seal second place in Group E for Ivory Coast.
Kalou – ‘I am positive’
Kalou believes the mindset he saw in the Ivorian team against Germany, even though they lost that match 2-1, can see the Elephants past Norway.
“I saw the Germany game and I am positive. I think we have a mindset that can compete with those teams,” added Kalou.
Young winger Yan Diomande has been excellent, and is reported to be a transfer target for both Liverpool and Paris St Germain.
“He should have gone to Chelsea!,” quipped Kalou, who made over 150 appearances for the Blues between 2006 and 2012, wining one Uefa Champions League, one English Premier League title, four FA Cups and one league cup.
“He would have been better there. At Chelsea he would have had the platform to be successful. You have already had two Ivory Coast players there (Kalou and Didier Drogba) and it would have been good for us. If he had followed the path of those two I can guarantee you it would have been amazing!”.
Kalou was speaking to Phakaaathi courtesy of SuperSport
