The morning after their thrilling 2-1 victory over Russia, the Ivorian national team gathered for breakfast, their spirits still buoyed by their previous night's triumph.
After filling their stomachs and enjoying some well-deserved relaxation, they packed their bags and headed to the airport in Moscow. Their destination? Sochi, where they would face Croatia in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup six days later.
As they stepped onto the plane, the air was filled with an unexpected sense of ease and comfort. The Ivorian players, Eric Bailly, Serey Dié, Maxwel Cornet, and Cheick Doukouré, were in high spirits, exchanging jokes and witty remarks without a care for anything in the world. Their laughter echoed through the cabin, drawing amused smiles from the other passengers and their coach, Hervé Renard.
