‘You guys have the same ego’ - Kalou reveals how Super Eagles defeated Ivory Coast at the 2013 AFCON

The Elephants, boasting a squad filled with European stars, were widely tipped to win the tournament in South Africa. 

However, they were stunned by a determined Super Eagles side, with goals from Emmanuel Emenike and a late winner from Sunday Mba securing a famous victory for Nigeria.

The win was a crucial step for the Super Eagles, who went on to lift the trophy, marking their third continental championship.

Speaking on "The Obi One Podcast" with former Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel, Kalou revealed that the star-studded Ivorian dressing room struggled with unity. 

He suggested that some players found it difficult to accept being on the bench, which undermined the team's collective effort.

"I think that sometimes because we have so many talented players playing for great clubs, nobody wants to accept being left out," Kalou stated. 

"If you're left out, you probably don't want the team to win. So you will not give your all. This also affected us a lot in many tournaments."

Kalou emphasised that the team's biggest opponent was often itself, rather than the team they were facing on the pitch.

"It was not the team we were playing against; it was us ourselves," he continued. "How to manage ourselves... It was not acceptable for people to be on the bench. This was the issue with our team at that moment."

In contrast, Kalou praised the discipline and structure of the Nigerian squad. He acknowledged that while the Super Eagles also had big personalities, every player understood and accepted their role within the team, which created a more cohesive unit.

"The difference is, you guys have the same ego—we know Nigerians—but in that team of yours, everybody knew their position. So you wouldn't complain if you were on the bench," he told Mikel.