Posted on Sep 05

Didier Drogba on Sunday insisted that he had not given up on his international career with Ivory Coast.

"Each time they call me up, I'll be there," the 32-year-old Chelsea hitman told TF1.

Drogba - scorer of 45 goals in his 71 appearances for Ivory Coast - was omitted from new coach Francois Zahoui's 21-strong squad for an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Abidjan on Saturday.

Zahoui said at the time that after talks with Drogba, he deemed the striker "not psychologically ready to play the game".

Didier Drogba waves towards the crowd as he arrives ahead of the start of the qualifying match in the 2012 Cup of African Nations against Rwanda in Abidjan on September 4. The Chelsea striker insisted that he had not given up on his international career with Ivory Coast.

Didier Drogba waves towards the crowd as he arrives ahead of the start of the qualifying match in the 2012 Cup of African Nations against Rwanda in Abidjan on September 4. The Chelsea striker insisted that he had not given up on his international career with Ivory Coast.