Cote d'Ivoire U20 coach Younes Zerdouk has showered praise on Ghana's youth team, citing their impressive pedigree in the game at the junior level.

The two teams are set to clash in Group A of the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on April 26.

In an interview with Cafonline.com, Zerdouk acknowledged the toughness of Group A, which also features Tanzania, DR Congo, and a second Central African team.

"It's a particularly tough group, but at this level of competition, there are never any easy games. DR Congo and Ghana have teams built for this kind of competition," he noted.

Zerdouk specifically highlighted Ghana's strong tradition in youth football, referencing their 2009 World Cup title.

"Ghana has a strong tradition in youth football, as we remember their World Cup title in 2009 with the generation of Andre Ayew.," he added.

He also expressed admiration for Tanzania's recent progress and the unknown strengths of the Central African team.

Cote d'Ivoire's best performance at the U20 AFCON was in 2003, when they finished as runners-up, losing 4-3 to Egypt in extra time.

Coach Zerdouk is determined to lead Les Petits Éléphants to their first-ever U20 African Cup of Nations title.