Ivory Coast coach Henri Michel believes the odds are still stacked in favour of football's big powers as he prepares his team for a futile last Group C match with an equally deflated Serbia and Montenegro team today.

The Ivory Coast, debutants on the big stage, arrived in Germany with high hopes after a qualifying campaign that had seen them eliminate recent World Cup regulars Cameroon.

However, consecutive 2-1 defeats against Holland and Argentina have already sealed their fate - although the Elephants produced excellent football in both matches.

Michel said: "I don't want to go into it too much but I feel that the odds are already stacked in favour of the big nations.

"It's all to the detriment of the little nations and that is something we have just had to put up with."

Michel, who has coached France, Cameroon and Morocco in previous World Cup campaigns, looks set to quit the post after the finals after receiving no extension offer from the Ivorian Federation.

A return to Europe is in the offing for the much-travelled Frenchman, whose peak achievement was leading France to the 1984 Olympic gold medal.

Michel may rotate his squad for a match where only pride is at stake, with the Serbo-Montenegrins also eliminated.

The Balkan side had also come into the tournament with high hopes after a qualifying campaign that had seen them pip Spain to top the group and in which they conceded a solitary goal.

Opening the finals with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Holland they then received a World Cup thrashing from Argentina who romped to a 6-0 win.

Coach Ilija Petkovic has already indicated he will resign although it is yet to be accepted formally in the nation's last major tournament before it is split into two countries - Serbia and also Montenegro - following the recent vote for independence in Montenegro.

Senior players Mladen Krstajic and Savo Milosevic have indicated they will not continue with the national side after the World Cup.

Milosevic told Bild: "I have already played for Yugoslavia. Now I play for Serbia and Montenegro. But a third national team would be too many.

"I have enjoyed it but now, unfortunately, it has come to an end."

Petkovic must do without the injured Nemanja Vidic and the suspended Mateja Kezman against the Elephants.