1. Early Life and Background
Adama Traoré Diarra was born on January 25, 1996, in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. His parents are of Malian origin, having arrived in Spain from Mali in the 1980s. Traoré joined FC Barcelona's youth setup, known as La Masia, in 2004 at the age of eight, following a brief period with his local club, CE L'Hospitalet.
2. Club Career
Adama Traoré's club career has seen him develop from a promising youth talent at Barcelona into a powerful and impactful winger in the English Premier League, with a temporary return to his boyhood club.
2.1. Barcelona
Traoré joined FC Barcelona's youth academy in 2004 when he was eight years old. He quickly progressed through the ranks, and in 2013, he was promoted to the B-team. He made his professional debut on October 6, 2013, in a 0-1 away defeat against SD Ponferradina in the Segunda División championship.
Two weeks after his B-team debut, on November 9, 2013, Traoré came on as a half-time substitute in a match against Real Jaén at the Mini Estadi. He was later sent off for conceding a penalty in a 0-3 loss. However, his talent was soon recognized by the senior team. On November 23, 2013, at just 17 years old, he played his first La Liga game, replacing Neymar late in a 4-0 home win over Granada CF. Three days later, on November 26, he made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League, coming on for Cesc Fàbregas in the 82nd minute of a 1-2 defeat away to AFC Ajax in the group stage.
Traoré also featured prominently for Barcelona's under-19 side in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Youth League during the 2013-14 season. He played five games and scored twice, contributing to the team's victory in the competition. He scored his first official goal for Barcelona's first team on December 16, 2014, playing 16 minutes and contributing to an 8-1 home victory over SD Huesca in the 2014-15 Copa del Rey.
2.2. Aston Villa
On August 14, 2015, Traoré moved to Premier League club Aston Villa. He signed a five-year deal for a reported 7.00 M GBP, which could rise to 12.00 M EUR. Barcelona included a three-year buy-back clause in his contract. He made his debut eight days later against Crystal Palace, contributing to a lone own goal as Villa were defeated 2-1. He scored his first goal for the club three days later, the team's first in a 5-3 home win over Notts County in the second round of the League Cup.
On January 2, 2016, Traoré came on as a second-half substitute for Aston Villa in an away match against relegation rivals Sunderland. He assisted compatriot Carles Gil's equalizer but was later substituted himself due to injury, and Sunderland ultimately won 3-1. Following this game, he was reportedly dropped from the team due to ill discipline. Aston Villa ended the season relegated, finishing in last place with just 17 points.
2.3. Middlesbrough
On August 31, 2016, Traoré signed a four-year contract with Middlesbrough, with Albert Adomah moving in the opposite direction in an undisclosed fee transfer. He made his debut for Middlesbrough on September 10, 2016, in a 1-2 home loss to Crystal Palace, replacing Cristhian Stuani for the final nine minutes. During his first season, the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, he participated in 27 league matches without scoring, and Middlesbrough was ultimately relegated to the EFL Championship.
In the 2017-18 season, Traoré's performances significantly improved under managers Garry Monk and then Tony Pulis. His exceptional pace and dribbling ability frequently caused problems for opposition defenders. A notable performance included a dominant display against Leeds United on March 2, 2018, in a 3-0 victory. He finished the campaign with five goals and ten assists, helping his team reach the play-offs in the Championship, where they were knocked out by his former side, Aston Villa. For his outstanding contributions, Traoré won Middlesbrough's Fans' Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and Players' Player of the Year awards for the 2017-18 season.
2.4. Wolverhampton Wanderers
On August 8, 2018, Traoré joined newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of 18.00 M GBP. He scored his first goal for the team and in the Premier League on September 1, 2018, in his 40th appearance in the competition, securing a 1-0 away win against West Ham United. His first start for Wolves occurred on October 27, in a 0-1 away defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
On October 6, 2019, in his 50th competitive appearance for Wolves, Traoré scored both goals in a stunning 2-0 away victory against reigning champions Manchester City. 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 November 28, 2019, and contributed to their progress to the quarter-finals. Traoré scored his debut goal at Molineux for the club in a 1-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on December 15, 2019. His impressive performances earned him the PFA Player of the Month award for January 2020, receiving 45 percent of the fan votes.
Traoré's first goal for Wolves in the 2020-21 season came in their 1-0 home victory over Crystal Palace in an FA Cup third-round game on January 8, 2021. 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 May 9, 2021. He scored his debut goal of the 2021-22 Premier League season on January 15, 2022, in a 3-1 Premier League victory over Southampton at Molineux.
2.5. Barcelona (loan)
On January 29, 2022, Traoré rejoined his boyhood club, FC Barcelona, on loan for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. The loan agreement included an option for a permanent deal. He made 11 appearances in La Liga and 6 appearances in the UEFA Europa League during this temporary spell. However, Barcelona did not exercise the option to make the deal permanent, and he returned to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of the season on June 30, 2022.
2.6. Fulham
After his contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers expired, Traoré joined fellow Premier League club Fulham on a free transfer on August 12, 2023. He signed a two-year deal with the option of a third year. On March 2, 2024, Traoré scored his first goal for Fulham, contributing the third goal in a 3-0 victory over Brighton.
3. International Career
Adama Traoré has represented Spain at various youth levels and has also made appearances for the senior national team, despite discussions regarding his eligibility for Mali.
Traoré was eligible to represent Mali through his parents' origin, or France as he lived there since childhood, in addition to Spain, his country of birth. On February 17, 2014, the Malian Football Federation reported that Traoré and his older brother Moha had decided to represent Mali at senior level. However, in an interview with BBC Sport in October 2015, Traoré stated that he was still considering his international options.
He made his debut for the Spanish under-21s on March 22, 2018, playing 15 minutes in a 5-3 away win over Northern Ireland in the 2019 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.
In November 2019, Traoré again declared his intention to play for Mali. However, just days later, he received his first call-up to the Spain national team for Euro 2020 qualifying matches against Malta and Romania, replacing the injured Rodrigo. He voluntarily withdrew from the squad due to injury and was replaced by Pablo Sarabia. In January 2020, he publicly stated that he had not made a final decision between Spain and Mali, acknowledging his gratitude for the opportunity to represent both nations.
In August 2020, Traoré was once again called up for Spain's September UEFA Nations League matches against Germany and Ukraine. However, he was removed from the squad after testing positive for COVID-19 on August 31. He missed the Germany match while awaiting the result of a second test to determine if the initial result was a false positive. The second test result was negative, and Traoré rejoined the squad on September 3, ahead of the Ukraine match. However, on September 6, Traoré was again ordered to leave the camp after a PCR test showed a high antibody count.
On October 7, 2020, Traoré finally made his first appearance for Spain in a friendly match against Portugal, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute in a scoreless draw. On October 10, Traoré again came on as a substitute for Spain in a Nations League match against Switzerland. Both Mali and Spain had named Traoré to their respective squads for the October international fixture window, but with his appearance in a competitive match against Switzerland, he became cap-tied to Spain under FIFA eligibility rules, preventing him from representing Mali.
On May 24, 2021, he was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. The team reached the semi-finals of the tournament, though Traoré's input was limited to 14 minutes as a substitute in a group stage victory over Slovakia.
4. Playing Style
Adama Traoré is widely recognized for his unique and formidable playing style, characterized by exceptional physical attributes. Standing at 70 in (178 cm) and weighing 181 lb (82 kg), his managers and football analysts have consistently highlighted his blistering pace, immense strength, and remarkable dribbling ability.
Tim Sherwood, his former manager at Aston Villa, famously compared him to both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that Traoré possessed "a bit" of both players' qualities. Catherine Wilson of ESPN FC acknowledged his "athleticism" but also remarked that his "footballing brain and teamwork skills are definitely up for debate" as he sometimes appeared to "only run in a straight line."
In 2018, Matt Stanger of ESPN praised Traoré's speed and strength, noting that he was "now showing the composure to find the killer pass." Stanger further highlighted his "rapid acceleration" and "excellent close control to shield the ball from defenders." While acknowledging his developing "defensive contribution," Stanger also pointed out his key weaknesses as "moments of recklessness" and "decision-making," which "continues to frustrate his teammates." Philip Tallentire of Teesside Gazette described him as a 'talismanic playmaker' following his impressive form during the 2017-18 season. The Daily Mirror listed Traoré as the second-fastest player in the 2019-20 Premier League season, recording a top speed of 23.48 mph.
During his tenure with Wolverhampton Wanderers, after his first three appearances as a substitute, Michael Butler of The Guardian reported that "Traoré has always been regarded as a rough diamond, lightning quick but perhaps lacking composure or an end product." However, Butler also noted his exceptional offensive output, stating that "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." His muscular physique is also a frequent topic of discussion, with some commentators suggesting his body has grown so much that his uniform struggles to contain him.
5. Personal Life
Adama Traoré's elder brother, Moha, is also a professional footballer. Adama is a practicing Muslim and observes fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. His commitment to his faith is an important aspect of his personal life.
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | 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 | 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 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 12 | 1 | ||||
| Middlesbrough | 2016-17 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 31 | 0 | |||
| 2017-18 | Championship | 34 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 2 | 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 | 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 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | |||
| Fulham | 2023-24 | Premier League | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2024-25 | Premier League | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 2 | |||
| Total | 43 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 47 | 4 | ||||
| Career total | 340 | 27 | 23 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 400 | 33 | ||
6.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2020 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 0 | |
7. Honours
7.1. Club Honours
- UEFA Youth League: 2013-14 (with Barcelona Youth)
- Copa del Rey: 2014-15 (with Barcelona)
7.2. Individual Honours
- Segunda División Team of the Year: 2013-14
- Middlesbrough Fans' Player of the Year: 2017-18
- Middlesbrough Players' Player of the Year: 2017-18
- Middlesbrough Young Player of the Year: 2017-18
- PFA Player of the Month: January 2020