Alynho Haidara may have made his Côte d’Ivoire U-17 debut on April Fool’s Day earlier this year, but he was in no mood for joking around as he plundered four goals in a 6-1 rout of the Central African Republic.
That match was his team’s opener in the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and Haidara continued to impress as Côte d’Ivoire went on to finish third at the tournament. By reaching the knockout stage of the competition, the Ivorians had already booked their ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup™, which kicks off in Qatar on 3 November.
After a 12-year absence from the flagship youth showpiece, they see this as a chance to grow, but – as their prolific and selfless attacker explains to FIFA – ambition is not in short supply.
“I want our team to go far in this World Cup,” said Haidara, whose first taste of the beautiful game came in Adjame, a working-class neighbourhood overshadowed by the skyscrapers of Abidjan’s business district. Born in the coastal town of Jacqueville, he returned there to learn his trade at Academie Mayence 05. The academy was founded by Aristide Bance, the Abidjan-born former Burkina Faso international, and opened in partnership with the Bundesliga club Mainz.
Haidara impressed Bance so much that the coach visited the youngster’s parents on just the third day of trials and even ended up welcoming him into his own home for two years. “He told me: ‘You’ve got real talent, son. If you work hard, you can go far.’ Given that Adjamé is a rough area, he decided to put me up at his house. We had training from Monday to Friday and we used to watch matches from the Bundesliga, La Liga and the Premier League on TV at the weekends.”
The rising star’s hard work and openness paid off from his very first international tournament: that memorable U-17 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco. His first cap brought his first goals and there has been no stopping him ever since. “It was an unforgettable match and my first time in the starting line-up. It was great!”
The young Ivorian ended the competition as the joint-top goalscorer with seven goals, including one in their third-place play-off win over Burkina Faso. However, he is quick to share the plaudits: “I was proud of myself, but especially of my team-mates and of our coach, who put his trust in us. It’s very important because you can’t achieve anything alone. You’re nothing without your team-mates. And, of course, you’re nothing without the coach. It’s the coach who makes you look your best.”
In turn, Diabate is quick to praise his forward’s qualities. “He’s a lynchpin of the team because we need an anchor for the midfielders to play off,” Diabate told FIFA with his trademark gravelly tone. “Alynho’s profile obviously fits our playing style to a tee. His understanding of the game, clean lay-offs and work rate help us to unlock every defence we face.”
With his commanding height and presence, Haidara is tailor-made for his role: “I’m a very quick and clinical forward who plays with his back to goal. As the coach said, I’m a good, old‑fashioned attacker, like [Victor] Osimhen.”
That is an interesting parallel because, in 2015, Osimhen had himself finished the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations as the leading goalscorer. He also found the back of the net in the third place play-off, which his native Nigeria ultimately lost 3-1 to Guinea, before going on to win the U-17 World Cup and taking home the adidas Golden Boot with ten goals.
Haidara’s ability to eschew an obsession with personal milestones partly stems from the team spirit masterfully instilled by his coach, who has made togetherness the hallmark of his squad. “For us, our biggest strength is our unity,” underlined Diabate, displaying the kind of wisdom you would expect from someone with a philosophy degree. “Our unity comes from the family atmosphere within our group. The focus is on the group’s wellbeing. We’re not about individuals or stars. It’s all about the team. We’re like a family.”
Diabate then immediately turned to his player: “Alynho, where does your team’s strength lie?” The forward responded without missing a beat: “We’re like a family. And our aim is to show that we’re one big family who want to succeed.”
The two Ivorians are relishing the opportunity to face Mexico, Korea Republic and Switzerland in Group F. “We have a pretty diverse group,” said the coach. “We’ll need to be able to adapt quickly and, above all, be competitive. I think the World Cup is made for moments just like this. As Alynho said, our top priority is for our young players to progress and develop.”
Côte d’Ivoire are working hard to deal with these different playing styles. Having competed in a friendly tournament in June in Japan against opponents coming from Asia, Europe and South America, they will repeat the exercise in Abu Dhabi in preparation for the tournament.
The final word goes to Haidara, who seems close to bursting with excitement as the start of the tournament approaches: “It means a lot to be able to take part in a U-17 World Cup. I’m ready. More than ready.”
The Ivorians, with their contagious enthusiasm, will be ones to watch closely in Qatar.
Photos: CAF
