Didier Drogba believes Ivory Coast can make history next year and become the first African country to win the World Cup.

The Chelsea striker booked his nation's place in next summer's competition with the crucial goal in their 1-1 draw with Malawi at the weekend.

The furthest any African nation has got is the quarter-finals which Cameroon and Senegal reached in 1990 and 2002 respectively.

Drogba is confident Ivory Coast can be even more successful, especially as the competition is going to be held in familiar surroundings in South Africa next year.

He said: "It is going to be a challenge. To make it to the final will not be easy because there are great teams like Brazil and Germany who have won the World Cup many times in the past.

"But my friends and I want to make history and want to change the way the world sees African football. We will do everything we can to get to the final and hopefully win the competition.

"I was here in South Africa for the FIFA Confederations Cup in June and everything was perfect. The stadiums are good and the people in South Africa are some of the most friendly anywhere in the world."

Three of Chelsea's four African stars - Ghana's Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel are the others - can now look forward to playing in a World Cup on their home continent next summer.

Nigeria will also be certain to qualify as well but only if they win in Kenya on Wednesday, and Tunisia lose in Mozambique.