Kalou's failure to acquire Dutch citizenship was a factor in his decision to leave Feyenoord for Chelsea.
He was called up for the Ivory Coast several times in 2006 but rejected them all.
His debut game in a 1–0 friendly win over Guinea on 6 February 2007, and on 21 March he scored his first goal in a 3–0 friendly victory against Mauritius.

Kalou was called up for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
He scored the only goal against Nigeria in the opening game, and added two more in a 5–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals as the Elephants came fourth.

At the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, Kalou scored the opening goal of a 3–2 extra-time elimination by Algeria in the semi-finals.
That June, he went to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and scored as a substitute in a 3–0 win over North Korea in the final group game, though the Elephants were eliminated.

On 26 January 2012, Kalou scored a goal in Ivory Coast's 2–0 win over Burkina Faso, helping his side progress into the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the final, he was substituted after 64 minutes of a penalty shootout loss to Zambia.

Kalou also played at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Later that year, he scored in each leg of a 4–2 win over Senegal in the play-offs for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
In the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, he came on as a substitute for Siaka Tiéné for the last four minutes of extra time in the final, and scored in a 9–8 shootout win over Ghana.
Kalou's failure to acquire Dutch citizenship was a factor in his decision to leave Feyenoord for Chelsea. He was called up for the Ivory Coast several times in 2006 but rejected them all. His debut game in a 1–0 friendly win over Guinea on 6 February 2007, and on 21 March he scored his first goal in a 3–0 friendly victory against Mauritius.
Kalou was called up for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. He scored the only goal against Nigeria in the opening game, and added two more in a 5–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals as the Elephants came fourth.
At the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, Kalou scored the opening goal of a 3–2 extra-time elimination by Algeria in the semi-finals. That June, he went to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and scored as a substitute in a 3–0 win over North Korea in the final group game, though the Elephants were eliminated.
On 26 January 2012, Kalou scored a goal in Ivory Coast's 2–0 win over Burkina Faso, helping his side progress into the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. In the final, he was substituted after 64 minutes of a penalty shootout loss to Zambia.
Kalou also played at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Later that year, he scored in each leg of a 4–2 win over Senegal in the play-offs for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, he came on as a substitute for Siaka Tiéné for the last four minutes of extra time in the final, and scored in a 9–8 shootout win over Ghana.
Salomon Kalou