Adama Traoré (footballer, born 1996)

For other people named Adama Traoré, see Adama Traoré (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Traoré and the second or maternal family name is Diarra.
Adama Traoré
Traoré playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2023
Personal information
Full name Adama Traoré Diarra[1]
Date of birth (1996-01-25) 25 January 1996 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s) Right winger
Team information
Current team
 Fulham
Number 11
Youth career
L'Hospitalet
2004–2013 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 Barcelona B 63 (8)
2013–2015 Barcelona 1 (0)
2015–2016 Aston Villa 11 (0)
2016–2018 Middlesbrough 61 (5)
2018–2023 Wolverhampton Wanderers 157 (10)
2022 → Barcelona (loan) 11 (0)
2023– Fulham 14 (1)
International career
2012 Spain U16 5 (0)
2012–2013 Spain U17 5 (1)
2013–2014 Spain U19 6 (0)
2018 Spain U21 2 (0)
2020–2021 Spain 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:26, 21 April 2024 (UTC)

Adama Traoré Diarra (born 25 January 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Premier League club Fulham.

Traoré began his career with Barcelona, appearing mainly for the reserves. In 2015, he signed for Aston Villa and a year later Middlesbrough, before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2018. He played exactly 200 games for Wolves, scoring 14 times, and was loaned back to Barcelona in 2022 before joining Fulham a year later.

Traoré has represented Spain internationally at both youth and senior levels, making his senior debut in 2020 and being chosen for UEFA Euro 2020.

Club career[edit]

Barcelona[edit]

Traoré playing for Barcelona B in 2012

Traoré was born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, to Malian parents.[4] He joined Barcelona's youth setup in 2004 at the age of eight, after a brief period with neighbouring L'Hospitalet.[5] In 2013 he was promoted to the B-team, and made his debut on 6 October in a 0–1 away defeat against Ponferradina in the Segunda División championship.[6]

On 9 November 2013, Traoré came on as a half-time substitute but was sent off for conceding a penalty in a 0–3 loss to Real Jaén at the Mini Estadi.[7] Two weeks later, he played his first La Liga game at the age of 17, replacing Neymar late on in the 4–0 home win over Granada;[8] he made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League on 26 November, coming on for Cesc Fàbregas in the 82nd minute of a 1–2 defeat away to Ajax in the group stage.[9]

Traoré also featured for Barcelona's under-19 side in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Youth League, playing five games and scoring twice as they won the trophy.[10] He scored his first official goal for Barcelona's first team on 16 December 2014, playing 16 minutes and contributing in an 8–1 home victory over SD Huesca in the 2014–15 Copa del Rey.[11]

Aston Villa[edit]

On 14 August 2015, Traoré joined Premier League club Aston Villa on a five-year deal for a reported £7 million (€10 million) that could rise to €12 million, with Barcelona inserting a three-year buy-back clause in his contract.[12] He made his debut eight days later against Crystal Palace, contributing to a lone own goal as Villa were defeated 2-1.[13] He scored his first goal three days later, the team's first of a 5–3 home win over Notts County in the second round of the League Cup.[14]

Traoré came on as a second-half substitute for a bottom-of-the-table Villa side away to relegation rivals Sunderland on 2 January 2016, and assisted compatriot Carles Gil's equaliser – he was later substituted himself, and Sunderland won 3–1.[15] Following that game, he was dropped from the team due to ill discipline,[16] as Villa ended the season relegated, in last place, on 17 points.

Middlesbrough[edit]

On 31 August 2016, Traoré signed a four-year contract with Middlesbrough and Albert Adomah moved in the opposite direction; the fees were undisclosed.[17] He made his debut on 10 September 2016 in a 1–2 home loss to Crystal Palace, replacing Cristhian Stuani for the final nine minutes;[18] during his first season, he took part in 31 matches without scoring.[19]

Traoré played well in 2017–18, first under Garry Monk and then Tony Pulis, with his pace sometimes causing several problems for opposition defenders, including an impressive performance against Leeds United on 2 March 2018 in a 3–0 win.[20] He totalled five goals and ten assists during the campaign as his team reached the play-offs in the Championship,[21] where they were knocked out by his former side Aston Villa;[22] he won Middlesbrough's Fans' Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards.[23]

Wolverhampton Wanderers[edit]

On 8 August 2018, Traoré joined newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee[24] in the region of £18 million.[25] He scored his first goal for the team and in the Premier League on 1 September – in his 40th appearance in the competition – in a 1–0 win away to West Ham United.[26] His first start occurred on 27 October, in a 0–1 away defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.[27]

Traore playing in a FA Cup match against Manchester United in 2020.

On 6 October 2019, in his 50th competitive appearance for Wolves, Traoré scored both goals in a 2–0 away victory against reigning champions Manchester City.[28] He scored his first goal in a European competition as Wolves drew 3–3 away to Braga in the UEFA Europa League group stage on 28 November.[29]

Traoré scored his debut Molineux goal for the club in a 1–2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on 15 December 2019.[30] He won the PFA Player of the Month award for January 2020 with 45 percent of fan votes.[31]

Traoré's first goal for Wolves in the 2020–21 season came in their 1–0 home victory over Crystal Palace in a FA Cup third-round game on 8 January 2021.[32] He marked his 100th Premier League appearance for Wolves with his tenth goal for the club in a 2–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Molineux on 9 May 2021.[33] He scored his debut goal of the 2021–22 season on 15 January 2022, in a 3–1 Premier League victory over Southampton at Molineux.[34]

On 29 January 2022, Traoré joined Barcelona on loan for the rest of the season, with the option of a permanent deal possible.[35] As Barcelona did not take up the option, he returned to Wolves at the season's end.[36]

Traoré's first start for Wolves in the 2022–23 season after his loan at Barcelona in the second-half of the 2021–22 season came in a 2–1 victory over Preston North End at Molineux in the EFL Cup on 23 August 2022, in which he scored Wolves's second.[37] He scored his 10th Premier League goal (and 14th goal for Wolves in total) on 4 March 2023, ensuring a 1–0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur.[38] On 3 June 2023, Wolves announced Traore would leave at the end of his contract.[39]

Fulham[edit]

On 12 August 2023, Traoré joined fellow Premier League club Fulham on a free transfer. He signed a two-year deal with the option of a third.[40] On 2 March 2024, Traoré scored his first goal for Fulham, scoring the third goal in a 3–0 victory over Brighton.[41]

International career[edit]

On 17 February 2014, the Malian Football Federation reported that Traoré and his older brother Moha had decided to represent Mali at senior level.[42] However, in an interview with BBC Sport in October 2015, the former stated that he was still considering his international options.[43] He made his debut for the Spanish under-21s on 22 March 2018, playing 15 minutes in the 5–3 away win over Northern Ireland in the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[44]

In November 2019, Traoré declared that he wanted to play for Mali. However, days later he received his first call-up in the Spain national team for Euro 2020 qualifying matches against Malta and Romania in place of injured Rodrigo.[45] He pulled out of the squad voluntarily due to injury, and was replaced by Pablo Sarabia.[46]

In January 2020, he said he had not decided between Spain and Mali after a photograph of him posing with a Mali shirt circulated online, saying "I am grateful (to have the chance) with the two international teams - Spain where I was born and Mali where my origins are."[47]

In August 2020, Traoré was again called up ahead of Spain's September UEFA Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine.[48] However, he was removed from the squad after testing positive for COVID-19 on 31 August.[49] He missed the Germany match as he awaited the result of the second test to determine if the initial result was a false positive. The second test result was negative and Traoré rejoined the squad on 3 September, ahead of the Ukraine match.[50] On 6 September, Traoré was once again ordered to leave the camp after a PCR test showed a high antibody count.[51]

On 7 October 2020, Traoré made his first appearance for Spain in a friendly match against Portugal, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute. The match ended in a scoreless draw.[52] On 10 October, Traoré again came on as a substitute for Spain in a Nations League match against Switzerland.[53] Both Mali and Spain had named Traoré to their respective squads for their matches during the October international fixture window,[54] but with his appearance in a competitive match against Switzerland, he is cap-tied to Spain and FIFA eligibility rules prevents him from representing Mali.[55]

On 24 May 2021, he was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020.[56] The team reached the semi-finals, though his input was limited to 14 minutes as a substitute in a group win over Slovakia.[57]

Style of play[edit]

Tim Sherwood, Traoré's manager at Villa, compared him to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying he had "a bit" of both. Catherine Wilson of ESPN FC credited his "athleticism", though also remarked that his "footballing brain and teamwork skills are definitely up for debate" as he can only run in a straight line.[58]

In 2018, ESPN's Matt Stanger acknowledged Traoré's pace and strength, and added that he "is now showing the composure to find the killer pass", while boasting "rapid acceleration" and "excellent close control to shield the ball from defenders"; Stanger also believed Traoré's "defensive contribution" to be developed, pointing his key weaknesses as "moments of recklessness" and "decision-making" which "continues to frustrate his teammates";[59] he was also described by Teesside Gazette's Philip Tallentire as a 'talismanic playmaker', after his form during the 2017–18 season.[23] The Daily Mirror listed Traoré second in the top 10 fastest players of the 2019–20 Premier League season, with a top speed of 23.48 mph.[60]

While with Wolverhampton Wanderers, after his first three appearances as a substitute, Michael Butler of The Guardian reported: "Traoré has always been regarded as a rough diamond, lightning quick but perhaps lacking composure or an end product. [...] Per 90 minutes, nobody in the Premier League has created more chances than the 22-year-old or completed even half the number of successful dribbles: Eden Hazard has 5.56 to Traoré's 11.87.[61]

Personal life[edit]

Traoré's elder brother, Moha, is also a footballer.[62] He is a practicing Muslim who fasts during the Islamic month of Ramadan.[63][64][65]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 21 April 2024[66]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Barcelona B 2013–14 Segunda División 26 5 — — — — 26 5
2014–15 Segunda División 37 3 — — — — 37 3
Total 63 8 — — — — 63 8
Barcelona 2013–14 La Liga 1 0 0 0 — 1[c] 0 0 0 2 0
2014–15 La Liga 0 0 2 1 — 0 0 — 2 1
Total 1 0 2 1 — 1 0 0 0 4 1
Aston Villa 2015–16 Premier League 10 0 0 0 1 1 — — 11 1
2016–17 Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 — — 1 0
Total 11 0 0 0 1 1 — — 12 1
Middlesbrough 2016–17 Premier League 27 0 4 0 0 0 — — 31 0
2017–18 Championship 34 5 2 0 2 0 — 2[d] 0 40 5
Total 61 5 6 0 2 0 — 2 0 71 5
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2018–19 Premier League 29 1 5 0 2 0 — — 36 1
2019–20 Premier League 37 4 2 0 0 0 15[e] 2 — 54 6
2020–21 Premier League 37 2 3 1 1 0 — — 41 3
2021–22 Premier League 20 1 1 0 2 0 — — 23 1
2022–23 Premier League 34 2 2 0 4 1 — — 40 3
Total 157 10 13 1 9 1 15 2 — 200 14
Barcelona (loan) 2021–22 La Liga 11 0 — — 6[e] 0 — 17 0
Fulham 2023–24 Premier League 14 1 0 0 1 0 — — 15 1
Career total 311 24 21 2 12 2 22 2 2 0 368 30
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes Football League/EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Appearances in Championship play-offs
  5. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International[edit]

As of match played 8 September 2021[67]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Spain 2020 5 0
2021 3 0
Total 8 0

Honours[edit]

Barcelona Youth

Barcelona

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. ^ "Adama Traoré: Overview". ESPN. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Adama Tafadzwa Traoré". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  4. ^ Gabilondo, Aritz (24 February 2012). "Mis padres llegaron de Mali en los 80. Yo soy de Barcelona..." [My parents arrived from Mali in the 80s. I am from Barcelona...]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  5. ^ Capdevila, Josep (4 April 2013). "Adama Traore, juvenil de primer año, puede ser la gran novedad del Barça B el sábado" [Adama Traore, first-year juvenil, may be Barça B surprise Saturday]. Sport (in Spanish). Barcelona. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Ponferradina – Barça B: Un penalti condena al filial (1–0)" [Ponferradina – Barça B: Penalty condemns reserves (1–0)] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona. 6 October 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
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  39. ^ "Moutinho, Costa and Traore to leave Wolves". BBC Sport. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
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  44. ^ "International round-Up: Traore makes international bow". Middlesbrough F.C. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  45. ^ Munday, Billy (10 November 2019). "Adama Traore called into Spain squad to replace injured Rodrigo". Marca. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  46. ^ "Wolves' Adama Traore forced to withdraw from Spain squad". BBC Sport. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
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  48. ^ "Ansu Fati, Adama Traore Called Into New-Look Spain National Team Squad". Associated Press. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  49. ^ "Adama Traore tests positive for COVID-19 and will not join Spain squad". Marca. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  50. ^ Edwards, Joe (3 September 2020). "Wolves receive Adama Traore boost after initial Covid-19 scare". Express & Star. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  51. ^ Maroto, Joaquin (6 September 2020). "Adama Traoré quits Spain camp after positive PCR test". AS.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
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  53. ^ "Spain 1–0 Switzerland". BBC Sport. 10 October 2020.
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  55. ^ "Africa Sports roundup: Lifetime ban of Ghanaian official cut to 15 years". The Citizen. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  56. ^ Selección Española de Fútbol [@SeFutbol] (24 May 2021). "🚨 OFICIAL | ¡¡¡NUESTRA SELECCIÓN!!!

    🇪🇸 Estos son los 24 futbolistas que defenderán los colores de la @SeFutbol en la #EURO2020.

    💪🏻 ¡¡Vuestro grito de ánimo será nuestra energía en la lucha por el Campeonato de Europa!!

    #SomosEspaña
    #SomosFederación t.co/KY87e0im3p"     (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 May 2021 – via Twitter.
  57. ^ Pinnock, Hannah (7 July 2001). "Fans say the same thing about Adama Traore as Spain exit Euro 2020". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  58. ^ Wilson, Catherine (18 January 2017). "Boro would miss Traore's tenacity, urgency if he were sold to Chelsea". ESPN FC. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  59. ^ Stanger, Matt (7 March 2018). "Scouting spotlight: Jonathan Tah, Adama Traore, Andrija Zivkovic". ESPN. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  60. ^ Polden, Jake (29 July 2020). "Premier League's top 10 fastest players as Adama Traore misses out on No.1 spot". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  61. ^ "Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend". The Guardian. 14 September 2018.
  62. ^ Gascón, Javier (9 February 2014). "Mali viene a buscar a Adama" [Mali come to get Adama]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 April 2016.
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  64. ^ "Adama Traore Wife Or Girlfriend Name - Is He From Muslim Family? Religion". showbizcorner.com. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  65. ^ "Wolves sign the Muslim athletes' charter | Equality | News". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  66. ^ "Adama Traoré: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  67. ^ "Adama Traoré Diarra". European Football. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  68. ^ "El once ideal de la Liga Adelante 2013/14" [Liga Adelante's All-Star XI 2013/14] (in Spanish). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  69. ^ Swarbrick, Rosie (3 February 2020). "Adama Traore crowned PFA player of the month for January". Express & Star. Retrieved 10 February 2020.

External links[edit]

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