Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure are expected to lead Ivory Coast’s challenge at the World Cup next month after being included in a provisional squad.
Coach Sabri Lamouchi on Tuesday released a 28-man list also included popular names like longside experienced brothe Kolo Toure, Gervinho, Didier Zokora, Salomon Kalou and Boubacar Barry.
Lamouchi will have to trim the squad to 23 by June 2.
The west Africans have been drawn in Group C along with Colombia, Greece and Japan, and kick off their campaign in Recife on June 14 against the Japanese.
Squad
Goalkeepers (4): Boubacar Barry (Lokeren/BEL), Sayouba Mande (Stabaek/NOR), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe San Pedro/CIV), Ali Badra Sangare (ASEC Mimosas/CIV)
Defenders (10): Kolo Toure (Liverpool/ENG), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart/GER), Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro (Toulouse/FRA), Serge Aurier (Toulouse/FRA), Ousmane Viera Diarrassouba (Caykur Rizespor/TUR), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor/TUR), Constant Djakpa (Frankfurt/GER), Brice Dja Djedje (Marseille/FRA), Benjamin Angoua Brou (Valenciennes/FRA), Bamba Souleymane (Trabzonspor/TUR)
Midfielders (6): Ismael Diomande (St Etienne/FRA), Max Gradel (St Etienne/FRA), Yaya Toure (Manchester City/ENG), Ismael Cheick Tiote (Newcastle/ENG), Geoffroy Serey Die (Basel/SUI), Didier Ya Konan (Hanover/GER)
Forwards (8): Didier Drogba (Galatasaray/TUR), Gervinho (Roma/ITA), Salomon Kalou (Lille/FRA), Wilfried Bony (Swansea/ENG), Giovanni Sio (Basel/SUI), Mathis Bolly (Duesseldorf/GER), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Lacina Traore (Everton/ENG)