The Burkina Faso national football team, commonly known as “The Stallions,” has asserted itself strongly in recent years, proving its prowess against top-tier teams and gearing up for a new adventure in the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, set to kick off in Ivory Coast next Saturday and run until February 11, 2024.
Participating for the 13th time in the Africa Cup of Nations, Burkina Faso has come a long way since its debut in the 11th edition in Ghana in 1978.
The team clinched a remarkable fourth-place finish in the last edition hosted by Cameroon in early 2022.
In their previous participations, the Stallions played 48 matches, securing 9 victories, drawing 16 times, and facing 23 defeats. They scored 47 goals while conceding 72.
Burkina Faso’s most significant achievement in the African Cup of Nations came when they finished as runners-up to Nigeria in the 2013 tournament, adding a bronze in 2017.
The team also achieved fourth place twice in 1998 and 2022.
Formerly known as “Upper Volta,” Burkina Faso had no notable achievements before hosting the 1998 tournament, which marked a historic turning point.
However, they failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Ranked 57th globally and 10th in Africa, Burkina Faso’s best ranking was 35th in April/May 2017, while its lowest point was 127th in December 1993.
In Group D, “The Stallions” will kick off their campaign with two Arab rivals, Mauritania and Algeria, on January 16 and 20, respectively, at El Salam Stadium, concluding the group stage against Angola at Charles Konan Bédié Stadium on January 23.
Leading Burkina Faso in the Africa Cup of Nations is the 64-year-old French coach, Hubert Velud, who took charge in April 2022.
Under his guidance in 13 matches, the team secured 7 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses, scoring 17 goals and conceding 10.
Velud is no stranger to the atmosphere of African and Arab football, having worked with several clubs in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Kuwait, in addition to coaching the national teams of Sudan and Togo.
Bertrand Traoré, a 28-year-old forward from Aston Villa on loan to Istanbul Başakşehir, stands out as one of Burkina Faso’s key players.
Holding the captain’s armband, Traoré scored 15 goals in 72 international matches since his debut in 2011, showcasing vast experience gained from prominent European clubs like Chelsea, Ajax Amsterdam, and Olympique Lyonnais.
The captain relies on notable teammates like Issoufou Dayo, a defender from Renaissance Berkane, Issa Kabore, a right-back from Luton Town in England, Blati Touré, a midfielder from Pyramids, Hervé Koffi, the goalkeeper from Charleroi in Belgium, and Dango Ouattara, a forward from Bournemouth, along with Edmond Tapsoba, a defender from Bayer Leverkusen.
Burkina Faso’s market value stands at €99.80 million.
Historically, Charles Kaboré holds the record for the most appearances for Burkina Faso, with 102 matches and 4 goals since 2006, while Moumouni Dagano remains the all-time top scorer with 34 goals in 83 matches between 1998 and 2014.
Burkina Faso achieved its biggest victory in history against Eswatini (1-5) in 1961, while the heaviest defeat came against Algeria (7-0) in 1981.
