Mali call-up in sight for Marseille prospect Nouhoum Kamissoko

Nouhoum Kamissoko has been included in Mali manager Anthony da Silva’s preliminary squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying ties against Rwanda, but the young Marseille midfielder has been warned he must continue to develop before earning his place with the national team.

Kamissoko has emerged as one of the few bright spots in a difficult start to the season for Olympique de Marseille. The player, who was born in Bamako, has made his first Ligue 1 starts in recent weeks after making appearances towards the end of last season under Habib Beye.

He scored in Marseille’s 5-2 victory at Angers, further raising his profile in Mali, where he is increasingly regarded as a potential future option for the Aigles.

Speaking exclusively to Afrik-Foot, Mali manager Anthony da Silva, known as Tony, confirmed that Kamissoko is being considered for the squad to face Rwanda on 13 and 17 November. The two matches form part of the qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

However, the Portuguese coach made clear that Kamissoko still has areas of his game to improve, particularly from a mental perspective. His comments follow remarks made by Marseille manager Bruno Genesio after the team’s 4-3 victory against Le Havre.

Genesio had called on Kamissoko and Keyliane Abdallah to “show humility” after the match, a message echoed by Tony as he outlined the standards expected of players seeking selection for Mali.

The former full-back, who came through the Paris Saint-Germain academy, stressed that Kamissoko would need to meet the same non-negotiable requirements as every other player hoping to break into his squad.

Kamissoko must now build on his encouraging start if he is to force his way into a highly competitive midfield group. Mali’s options include Mamadou Sangare, Amadou Haidara, Aliou Dieng and Lassana Coulibaly.

Tony is expected to announce his final squad at the beginning of next week and will be monitoring Kamissoko’s progress closely. The midfielder could have another opportunity to impress when Marseille host Toulouse at the Velodrome on Sunday, in the ninth round of Ligue 1.