Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba has returned to the Ivory Coast squad for the first time since the country’s disastrous Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the start of the year.
The 35-year-old former Chelsea Champions League hero is part of a 23-man squad for a friendly against Mexico in New York on 14 August.
Drogba was dropped for the first time during AFCON and coach Sabri Lamouchi subsequently left him out of World Cup qualifiers in March and June, suggesting Drogba needed to improve his fitness.
Drogba struggled during the Nations Cup in South Africa where the Ivorians were huge favourites to win the title but were beaten in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Nigeria.
So long a talismanic figure for the Elephants, Drogba found himself out in the cold after the tournament and Lamouchi was forced to deflect speculation of a rift with his captain, insisting the striker would return when he was back in top condition.
Drogba, who is hoping to make a third successive World Cup finals appearance in Brazil next year, looked sharp at the weekend in helping Galatasaray win a pre-season mini-tournament at Arsenal. And Lamouchi has proved true to his word by bringing Drogba back into the fold.
Lamouchi has also handed a first inclusion to Anderlecht striker Zoro Cyriac Gohi Bi and new Malaga midfielder Bobley Anderson.
Full Ivory Coast squad to face Mexico (Clubs in parentheses):
Goalkeepers: 1 Boubacar Barry (Lokeren, Belgium), Badra Ali Sangare (Ivoire Academie, Ivory Coast)
Defenders: Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro(Toulouse, France), Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes, France),Serge Aurier (Toulouse, France), Souleman Bamba (Trazbonspor, Turkey), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart, Germany), Viera Darrassouba (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Brice Dja Djedje (Evian, France), 10 ZOKORA Didier (Trazbonspor, Turkey),
Midfielders: Bobley Anderson (Malaga, Spain), Jean-jacques Gosso-Gosso (Glençlerbirligi SK, Turkey), Abdul Razak (Manchester City, England), Geoffrey Serey Die (Bale, Switzerland), Giovanni Sio (Wolsburg, Germany), Cheikh Tiote (Newcastle, England), 17 Yaya Toure (Manchester City, England),
Forwards: Mathis Bolly (Dusseldorf, Germany), Wilfried Bony (Swansea, England), Gervinho (Arsenal, England), Didier Drogba (Galatasaray, Turkey), Salomon Kalou (Lille, France), Cyriac Gohi bi Zoro (Anderlecht, Belgium)
