1. Overview
Adama Traoré, also known as Adama Noss TraoréFrench, is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for TFF First League club Amedspor and the Mali national team. Born on June 28, 1995, in Bamako, Mali, Traoré's career has seen him play for various clubs across France, Belgium, Portugal, Turkey, and England. A significant highlight of his early career was winning the prestigious Adidas Golden Ball as the best player at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he also contributed to Mali securing a bronze medal. Following this achievement, he made his senior debut for the Mali national team and has since represented his country in major tournaments such as the 2017 and 2019 editions.
2. Early Life and Background
Adama Traoré was born on June 28, 1995, in Bamako, the capital city of Mali. His journey into professional football began at a young age, rooted in his hometown.
2.1. Childhood and Education
Traoré joined the JMG Academy Bamako at the age of 12 in 2007. He spent five years at this academy, from 2008 to 2013, undergoing comprehensive training that laid the groundwork for his future professional career. This period was crucial for his development as a midfielder, refining his skills before he transitioned into competitive club football.
3. Club Career
Traoré's professional club career has been marked by transfers and loan spells across several European leagues, showcasing his adaptability and consistent performance.
3.1. Mali and Lille
Traoré began his senior club career in Mali with AS Bakaridjan in the Malian Première Division during the 2013-14 season. His time there was brief, as he made only three appearances before an injury interrupted his play. In January 2014, Traoré made a significant move to Europe, signing with Ligue 1 club Lille in France. Immediately following his transfer to Lille, he was loaned out to Belgian Second Division club Royal Mouscron-Péruwelz, where he played two games. Upon his return to Lille, Traoré made his Ligue 1 debut on September 24, 2014, in a 1-0 away defeat against Nice. He scored his first competitive goal at the senior level for Lille on January 7, 2015, contributing to a 1-0 home-league victory over Thonon Évian Savoie F. C..
3.2. Monaco and Loans
On July 10, 2015, Traoré joined AS Monaco on a four-year contract valued at 14.00 M EUR. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on August 4, 2015, in a commanding 4-0 victory against Young Boys during the third qualifying round. In this match, he entered the game as an 80th-minute substitute, replacing Mario Pašalić.
In January 2017, Traoré was loaned to Primeira Liga side Rio Ave FC for the remainder of the season. During his time with the club from Vila do Conde, he played seven matches and notably scored the only goal in their victory against Boavista on April 1. His loan spells continued in January 2019, when he moved to Belgian First Division A club Cercle Brugge KSV for a similar duration, making eight appearances. On August 31, he embarked on another season-long loan, this time to fellow Ligue 1 club Metz. He scored his first goal for Metz on November 23, an equalizer in a 1-1 home draw against Reims.
3.3. Turkish and English Leagues
On September 11, 2020, Traoré made a move to the Turkish Süper Lig, signing a two-year deal with Hatayspor, which included an option for a third year. He played 52 matches for Hatayspor, scoring one goal during his tenure. On September 1, 2022, Traoré signed a two-year contract with EFL Championship club Hull City in England. He made his debut for Hull City on February 25, 2023, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute for Greg Docherty in a 1-0 away loss to Bristol City. Traoré scored his first goal for Hull City on April 10, 2023, netting the decisive goal in a 1-0 home victory against Millwall. His contract with Hull City expired in the summer of 2024, and the club announced his release on May 19, 2024.
3.4. Current Club
Following his departure from Hull City, Adama Traoré continued his career in Turkey. On June 25, 2024, it was officially announced that he would sign for TFF First League club Amedspor, where he currently plays as a midfielder.
4. International Career
Adama Traoré has been a consistent presence in Mali's national football setup, representing his country at various age levels and in major international tournaments.
4.1. U-20 Team and Major Awards
Traoré was an integral part of the Mali under-20 team that competed in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. Throughout the competition, he demonstrated exceptional skill and impact, scoring four goals and providing three assists. His outstanding performances were pivotal in helping Mali secure the bronze medal in the tournament. As a testament to his individual brilliance, Traoré was awarded the Adidas Golden Ball, an accolade recognizing him as the best player of the competition.
4.2. Senior Team Career
Adama Traoré made his debut for the Mali national team on October 9, 2015, in a friendly match against Burkina Faso, which Mali won 4-1. He scored his first international goal on September 4, 2016, during a 5-2 victory against Benin in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification. On January 4, 2017, Traoré was named in Mali's 23-man squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations held in Gabon. Although he was an unused substitute throughout the tournament, Mali was eliminated in the group stage. Two years later, on June 16, 2019, he was again selected for Mali's 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. He marked his presence by scoring in Mali's opening match on June 24, 2019, contributing to a dominant 4-1 win against Mauritania.
5. Major Achievements
- 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup:
- Bronze Medal (Team)
- Adidas Golden Ball (Individual Award for Best Player)
6. Personal Life
Adama Traoré is often distinguished from another Malian footballer with the same name, who was born in the same month of June 1995. Both players have represented the Mali national team and were even teammates at FC Metz for a period. To differentiate between them, Adama Traoré is commonly known by the nickname Adama Noss TraoréFrench.
7. Career Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Adama Traoré's playing statistics across his club and international career, detailing his appearances and goals.
7.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AS Bakaridjan | 2013-14 | Malian Première Division | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Lille | 2013-14 | Ligue 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014-15 | Ligue 1 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 2 | ||
| Total | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 24 | 2 | |||
| Royal Excel Mouscron (loan) | 2013-14 | Belgian Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Monaco | 2015-16 | Ligue 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | |
| 2016-17 | Ligue 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2017-18 | Ligue 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2018-19 | Ligue 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2019-20 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 27 | 5 | |||
| Rio Ave (loan) | 2016-17 | Primeira Liga | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 1 | ||
| Cercle Brugge (loan) | 2018-19 | Belgian Pro League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Metz (loan) | 2019-20 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 16 | 1 | ||
| Hatayspor | 2020-21 | Süper Lig | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 36 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | Süper Lig | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 18 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 54 | 1 | |||||
| Hull City | 2022-23 | Championship | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 12 | 1 | ||
| 2023-24 | Championship | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 2 | |||
| Total | 36 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 3 | ||||
| Amedspor | 2024-25 | TFF 1. Lig | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 23 | 5 | |||
| Career total | 182 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 201 | 18 | ||
7.2. International Statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mali | 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 4 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 41 | 5 | |
Scores and results list Mali's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Traoré goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 September 2016 | Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali | Benin | 4-1 | 5-2 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2 | 26 March 2019 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal | Senegal | 1-0 | 1-2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 23 June 2019 | Suez Stadium, Suez, Egypt | Mauritania | 3-0 | 4-1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |