Young, innovative, ambitious, and above all, full of talent. Simon Adingra and Ouma Diakité represent the next generation of Ivorian football. At 22 and 20 years old respectively, these two young men have traveled long roads before becoming protagonists of the Elephants' qualification for the semifinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Simon Adingra had a tough journey before becoming a footballer: "When I think about everything I've been through, I know I have to give my best for my country, my family, especially to honor my father who isn't with us anymore but always encouraged us to follow this path," he explains.

AFCON 2023: The Four Teams Vying for Two Final Spots

Another rising star is, of course, Oumar Diakité. Like Adingra, number 14 of the Elephants came into play during the second half of the match against the Eagles.

Active on the left flank, the native of Bingerville wasted no time in making an impact. First, he received a yellow card, then he scored the winning goal in a move initiated by Simon Adingra, before unfortunately being sent off.

"My joy was so overwhelming that I forgot I had a yellow card. My bad. I couldn't play the second half, but I don't think it will hurt my team because we have depth, and even if I'm not there, we can still get the job done," said Diakité.

Being the hero of Ivory Coast was the role both young Ivorians earned to bring their team into the top four African teams in the dying minutes of the quarterfinal match, now they will seek to make history at home.

Ivory Coast vs DR Congo: The Miracle against the Revelation

On Wednesday, February 7th, the Elephants return to the majestic Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpé, the place where their African dream was shattered by a 4-0 defeat handed by Equatorial Guinea. They will hope to erase that memory by facing the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming for a spot in the grand final.