Giant striker Lacina Traore was one of five players cut from the Ivory Coast squad yesterday as coach Sabri Lamouchi was forced to relive his own anguish from 1998 when he was one of the last players culled from the French selection that went on to win the World Cup.

Goalkeeper Badra Ali, France-based defenders Benjamin Angoua and Brice Dja Djedje and striker Seydou Doumbia were also left out of the final 23-man squad named by Lamouchi yesterday, the Ivorian Football Federation announced.

“I’ve known a few difficult moments in my two years as national coach of the Ivory Coast, like when I was appointed, the criticism, the pressure to get results etc. But today has been by far the most difficult day,” Lamouchi said of having to inform those players not going to the tournament in Brazil.

“I have to do my job responsibly and make tough decisions. The five players who will not take part in the World Cup have been exemplary throughout,” he added of their participation in almost two weeks of training in the US before yesterday’s cut.

Traore, who has just recovered after several months on the sidelines at Everton, on loan from Monaco, with a hamstring injury, played for the Ivory Coast in a warm-up international against Bosnia in St Louis on Friday but was taken off after an hour.

Dja Djedje played the second half and Doumbia had 20 minutes to impress near the end of the game.

Lamouchi said he had been dreading the moment he would have to make the choice.

“It remains my worst memory as a footballer, especially as I did not see it coming.

“The night you learn that you have to pack your bags because you’re not chosen to compete in the World Cup is like being ridden over by a bus,” he told France Football magazine last week.

“For about three years after I hated Aime Jacquet (France’s World Cup winning coach).

“That man deprived me of a beautiful thing. But I came to forgive and I met him several times after and enjoyed talking to him. But we never mentioned me being dropped.”