Didier Drogba admits the Ivory Coast are under intense pressure to succeed at the World Cup.
The Chelsea striker's participation in South Africa is still in doubt because of the broken arm he suffered in the friendly against Japan on which he underwent surgery last weekend.
The 32-year-old is integral to the Elephants' hopes of progressing in South Africa with the team in a tough group alongside Brazil, Portugal and North Korea.
Despite facing such a challenge to make it into the knockout stages, Drogba says there is great expectation.
He told Sportsworld, on the BBC World Service: "The expectation back home is really high.
"Most of our players play for big teams and have won things with big teams.
"But for the country we have won nothing.
"People speak about this generation being the best in Ivory Coast for years and that is why the expectation is so high, higher than in France or England."
Ivory Coast will be led in South Africa by Sven-Goran Eriksson who replaced previous incumbent Vahid Halilhodzic, who was sacked following the disappointing quarter-final exit in the African Nations Cup in January.
The Swede guided England to the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006 and Drogba is vocal in his admiration.
"He is one of the best managers on the market and has done a lot of good things with the England national team," added the former Marseille striker.
"He is a very good professional and with his experience I hope we can beat one or two big teams at the World Cup.
"He knows there is a lot of work to do that's why he started very quickly when he got the job."
Drogba also revealed the pain he and the rest of the team felt after 22 people were killed in the Houphouet-Boigny stadium in Abidjan shortly before Ivory Coast beat Malawi in March last year.
Drogba subsequently set up a charitable foundation and is building a hospital.
He said: "They just came to support us and enjoy the game.
"It was a difficult moment for Ivory Coast football.
"When we go out on the pitch there, we are going to think about them because they wanted to see us at the World Cup.
"As the captain of the national team I went with Salomon Kalou to the injured people in hospital and it was very difficult."