Burkina Faso faced a setback as their top scorer, Alain Traoré, suffered an injury during the match against Zambia, which ended in a goalless draw. Traoré expressed a mix of pride and disappointment, acknowledging that the injury might rule him out for the remainder of the tournament. Despite personal disappointment, he emphasized his dedication to helping the team and sacrificing himself for the greater goal of Burkina Faso’s qualification:
“It’s a great source of pride and at the same time, I’m disappointed with my injury because I’m leaving the field with my head down. Burkina Faso qualifies. I think I sacrificed myself for my team. Being diminished, I wanted to help them anyway. I knew it was going to be difficult to keep up. But I love my country too much.”
Traoré’s commitment to his team’s success is evident, and he expressed regret over potentially missing the rest of the African Cup of Nations. He mentioned his club, Lorient, which was eagerly awaiting his return, but his immediate focus was on treating the injury and supporting Burkina Faso as their “first supporter.” The severity of the injury awaited further diagnosis.
