In a hospital bed in the French city of Reims, Conan was stretched out, his face contorted with pain. It felt as though a sharp blade was lodged between his vertebrae, resisting all attempts to remove it.
“Conan, there’s no way around it.
You need surgery.
The herniated disc won’t heal with preventative treatments,” informed the French doctor.
The Ivorian footballer recalls his frustration upon hearing those words: “I truly felt disheartened when the doctor delivered that news. It was like a heavy hammer blow.”
It was January 19, 2019, at Stade Reims, Conan’s club, gearing up to face Nice in the 21st round of the French league when the player’s back ignited with pain during warm-ups.
The pain wasn’t new; he had felt it two months prior but opted for preventative therapy, avoiding surgery.
Now, the medical procedure became inevitable.
Conan stayed away from the pitch for seven months after undergoing the operation, a challenging period for a player who had just turned 23, yearning to run and kick the ball.
“I didn’t want to abandon my teammates.
It was incredibly tough for me.
Those seven months were challenging, but they also allowed me to gain experience.
As they say, everything God does is for the best,” he reflected in an interview with the renowned French magazine “France Football.”
Despite setbacks, Conan managed his pain with the help of a physiotherapist, reducing its intensity.
It only sidelined him for five matches over two subsequent periods, the last being in November 2020, according to “Transfermarkt.”
This injury disrupted Conan’s international career, slowing his progress with his national team, akin to a child learning to walk, taking one step forward, then stumbling, relying solely on his legs until they carried him unaided.
The full-back hadn’t played for his national team since November 2019, coinciding with the injury, until the end of 2021, except for just two matches.
His position was shared by Maxwell Cornet, Hassane Kamara, and defender Wilfried Kanon, who shifted towards the left.
Yet, French coach Patrice Beaumelle, leading the Ivory Coast, deemed it wise to rely on him, primarily, in the African Cup of Nations hosted by Cameroon in January 2022.
Although “The Elephants” exited the tournament in the Round of 16 at the hands of “The Pharaohs,” Conan’s contributions—only 13 international matches at the age of 27—caught the eye of Saudi club Al-Nassr, securing his signing immediately after.
Contrary to his self-diagnosis three years ago that his back pain would be lifelong, his complaints ceased entirely upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.
This enabled him to dominate his position in the national team, missing only three matches in nearly two full years.
Conan overcame his pain, maintaining his international presence uninterrupted, reaping the rewards by participating in a historic edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, where his country retained the trophy, adding a golden medal to his personal collection, previously empty save for one medal—a testament to his success with Al-Nassr in Taif last summer.
