With only one African team making it past the group stages, the support for Ivory Coast was animated and widespread. Football enthusiasts across the African continent rallied behind the team, hoping for a memorable victory against the hosts. Of course, the passion was more buoyant in Abidjan, the Ivorian Capital.
The streets of Abidjan hummed with excitement and unlimited expectations as Sunday, July 1st, heralded the clash between Ivory Coast and Russia in the World Cup round of sixteen.
Among the throngs of fans making their way to bars and viewing venues that afternoon, three friends from Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny stood out. Kwame Bamba, Adeoluwa Soro, and Yannick Goué had decided to skip their final year research work, deeming the allure of the World Cup match too enticing to resist. They were bold and adventurous, eager to immerse themselves in the excitement of the game.
