Amir Abdou explains Burkina Faso squad decisions before 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Burkina Faso manager Amir Abdou has defended his selection decisions ahead of the opening two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, including the omissions of Bertrand Traore and Mohamed Zongo.

The Etalons coach also explained why he refused to allow Cyriaque Irie to join the squad for only the two fixtures while preparing to take his driving test.

“The player decided to take his driving test… he wanted to come for two matches, but I refused,” Abdou said. “You have to respect the national team. It is not a revolving door.”

The manager added that Irie’s agent had tried to contact him, but that he had spoken directly with the president before making his decision.

Abdou also addressed the absence of Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore, who has only recently returned to competitive football. The coach said the forward needed time to regain his fitness and establish a regular rhythm before being considered for international duty.

“He has 15 minutes of playing time. He got them yesterday. Let him find his feet,” Abdou said.

“We cannot select a player who has 15 minutes. We hope he will play a succession of matches. His selection will happen naturally.”

The coach took a similar position on Mohamed Zongo, saying the young player’s lack of first-team football made his inclusion impossible at this stage.

“He is a talented youngster but has zero playing time. It would not be logical to select him,” Abdou said. “You cannot do just anything. It is not possible to pick a young player simply because the people want it. He has to be in the first team. The national team is the elite.”

Burkina Faso’s first opponents in the qualifiers will be Benin, whose squad is managed by Gernot Rohr. Abdou praised the quality of the Guepards and said his staff had carried out extensive preparation before the meeting.

“We already know that this opponent had a good Africa Cup of Nations. They were knocked out by Egypt in the last 16, if I am not mistaken,” he said.

The Burkina Faso coaching staff have studied Benin’s statistics and examined the team’s performances and behaviour, particularly in away matches, in an effort to identify areas where they may be vulnerable.

Abdou said the priority was to begin the qualifying campaign positively on home soil.

“The important thing is to make a good start here,” he said, calling on his players to approach the qualifiers with discipline and efficiency.