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With the World Cup fast approaching and much of the world focused on Luis Suarez' health, it can be easy to forget he isn't the only Liverpool player working back to full fitness and hoping he'll be able to make an impact this weekend.
After an up and down season at the club level, Kolo Toure is hoping to make a difference for Ivory Coast as they seek to make it out of the group stages for the first time. He's also returning from contracting malaria, but the player insists he's fully fit and ready to go.
"I feel okay," he said. "The malaria was just for two days, obviously we have the medical department that know malaria very well, they gave me tablets. I was in bed for two days. Everyone was talking. I had a phone call from my club, from people around the world.
"I’m absolutely fine because my body is used to that kind of sickness, it’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time. I feel great now, I’m training with the team, the manager makes me work harder which is very good for me and I feel great."
Toure and Ivory Coast kick off their World Cup on Saturday evening in Recife against Japan as part of a tough Group C that lacks both a clear frontrunner and a clear fourth place finisher. Three points there could position them well to at least finish second.
Colombia remain narrow favourites in the group despite Radamel Falcao's absence through injury—but that injury make them far from certain bets. Rounded out by the disciplined Greeks, it makes for a group where every country can convince themselves they can advance.
