Kolo Toure makes cut despite illness

Kolo Toure has been included in Ivory Coast's World Cup squad despite being diagnosed with malaria last week, joining his brother Yaya and Didier Drogba in the Elephants' final 23 for Brazil.

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The Toure brothers, Drogba, Roma forward Gervinho and Lille's Salomon Kalou were all in the squad announced from Ivory Coast's training camp in the United States on Sunday.

Midfielders Cheick Tiote, Didier Zokora, Didier Ya Konan and Max Gradel were also selected by coach Sabri Lamouchi.

Swansea's Wilfried Bony was one of six forwards named alongside Drogba, Gervinho, Kalou, Basel's Giovanni Sio and Fortuna Dusseldorf's Mathis Bolly.

Everton striker Lacina Traore was among five players to be cut by Lamouchi. CSKA Moscow forward Seydou Doumbia, France-based defenders Brice Dja Djedje and Benjamin Angoua, and goalkeeper Badra Ali Sangare also missed out.

Ivory Coast officials said Kolo Toure contracted malaria after visiting the Ivorian city of Abidjan before joining the squad in Dallas.

The Liverpool defender did not play in the 2-1 friendly loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday in St Louis, but is expected to recover from the illness this week, according to the Ivory Coast Football Federation.

The federation also said that Yaya Toure joined up with his teammates on Friday after a trip to Qatar and trained on Sunday.

The Manchester City midfielder is one of three players recovering from minor injuries, along with Ya Konan and Bolly.

Ivory Coast, the world's highest-ranked African nation in 21st position, have a final World Cup warm-up game against El Salvador on Wednesday.

The Elephants then face Japan, Colombia and Greece in Group C at the World Cup.

Ivory Coast Squad:

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Sylvain Gbohouo (Sewe Sport), Mande Sayouba (Stabaek).

Defenders: Serge Aurier (Toulouse), Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (Toulouse), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor), Kolo Toure (Liverpool), Souleman Bamba (Trabzonspor), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Constant Djakpa (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ousmane Viera (Caykur Rizespor).

Midfielders: Cheick Tiote (Newcastle), Serey Die (Basel), Ismael Diomande (Saint-Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne).

Forwards: Didier Drogba (Galatasaray), Wilfried Bony (Swansea), Gervinho (Roma), Salomon Kalou (Lille), Giovanni Sio (Basel), Mathis Bolly (Fortuna Dusseldorf).