The 16-year-old center forward, who stands 6′ 11″, talked to CAFOnline about his experiences in Algeria and his excitement at winning the competition.
Following his captivating displays and talent that helped the young Burkinabes to a bronze medal finish in the just finished TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Algeria, Souleymane Alio of Burkina Faso was voted the Most Valuable Player.
Additionally, he received the Man of the Match award in two games, against Nigeria and Cameroon.
I’m really appreciative of this honor, the coaches, and all of my teammates. They worked together, and I was rewarded for it. For me, it is a wonderful honor. I’m motivated to work harder and advance in my career by this distinction.
Sincerely, I didn’t anticipate that. The judges chose the winner after I gave it my best shot. I wish to recognize the other highly talented players that were present. Being the greatest player among this group of competitors is a huge accomplishment.
I recently recalled yelling “Ah yes!” at the top of my lungs. Although I was quite thrilled, I thought to myself, “I, who missed a penalty?
What crossed your thoughts after the missed penalty against Senegal, to talk about penalties?
I felt let down and convinced that I had ruined everything. Our goal was to take home the Cup. Of course you feel defeated as a player, but I push myself to be grateful in every circumstance.
Was becoming the MVP one of your goals?
Actually, no. My goal in attending this AFCON was to give every game my all and aid the team in getting the greatest results, especially since the first shared goal was qualifying for the World Cup.
Actually, no. Since the team’s first shared goal was World Cup qualification, my goal in attending this AFCON was to give every game my all and contribute to the greatest results for the group.
Karim Benzema is my idol, and I believe that with a lot of effort, I may succeed in his field. Real Madrid is the team of my dreams. I adore this team because of the way they play and because Cristiano Ronaldo, one of my favorite players, played there.
Undoubtedly, they provide me a lot of inspiration. I would like to emulate them. My fantasy is that. My dedication to football has this as its goal: to always be the best.
I want to express my gratitude to the Burkinabe people for helping us have a memorable AFCON with their help. I commit to always upholding my country’s honor. This is just the start.
