Kessi Pursues Drogba Milestone as Ivory Coast Faces Egypt
7 January 2026
Kessi’s AFCON milestone on the line
Ivory Coast star Franck Kessié is close to matching a historic Africa Cup of Nations appearance tally should he feature against Egypt in the upcoming quarterfinal on Saturday, a moment that could echo past Ivory Coast legends in a Morocco 2025 edition that’s shaping up to be dramatic. The Pharaohs travel to face the Elephants in a high-stakes clash that could define both nations’ campaigns as the knockout rounds intensify.
Milestones and rivals in the record list
Kessié started the Round of 16 win over Burkina Faso (3-0) and played the full match, lifting his AFCON total to 23 appearances, according to Ghana Soccer Net. If he features against Egypt, he would reach 24 appearances, tying him with four peers and trailing Didier Drogba, who remains the benchmark for Ivorians in the competition’s history.
The Ivory Coast’s all-time line is topped by Yaya Touré with 29 appearances, followed by his brother Kolo Touré (28). Max Gradel sits in the next tier, now absent from this edition, with a cluster of players at 24 appearances looming behind the leaders as Kessié edges closer.
The narrative is clear: Kessié has a real chance to join the select Ivorians who have reached the 24-appearance milestone, a feat Drogba has long symbolized as the standard-bearer of Ivorian AFCON success.
Still, the AFCON tally leaders remain a who’s who of Ivory Coast legends, and this quarterfinal could see Kessié push further towards Drogba’s storied legacy while the country eyes another deep run on African football’s biggest stage.
PUNCHLINE: If goals were bullets, Kessié just loaded the AFCON arsenal. Punchline 2: Egypt, bring a spare goalie—Kessié’s about to aim for the net with sniper precision.
