El Bilal Toure withdraws from Mali squad for ‘personal convenience’

El Bilal Toure has withdrawn from the Mali squad for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, with the federation offering little explanation for the decision.

The 24-year-old striker was included in Anthony Da Silva’s first squad as Mali manager but will not take part in matches against Cape Verde and Liberia, or the subsequent friendly against Tunisia.

The Federation Malienne de Football (Femafoot) said Toure had “changed his mind for personal convenience”, without providing further details about the reason for his withdrawal.

The wording has left the circumstances surrounding the decision unclear. Unlike Moussa Sylla, who is also unavailable after being officially retained in Europe for family reasons, Toure has not been reported as injured.

His absence therefore appears to have followed his initial selection, although the precise nature of the personal matter has not been disclosed.

Toure’s withdrawal comes as Da Silva prepares to take charge of Mali for the first time. The forward has considerable international experience and is one of the country’s most established players in European football.

He has played for Reims, Almeria, Atalanta, Stuttgart and Besiktas before joining Parma this summer. However, he has not scored in Serie A this season.

Mali have also lost Moussa Sylla for the forthcoming fixtures. Da Silva has responded by recalling Sekou Koita and Mamadou Doumbia to ensure he retains options in attack, although the changes will inevitably affect the plans prepared for his first international gathering.

The circumstances surrounding Toure’s withdrawal also add to wider concerns about the Mali national team. Such defections have become relatively common in recent years, and the arrival of a new manager appears not to have resolved the issue.

Journalist Romain Molina said the problem was more deeply rooted and involved “certain people within the national team staff”.

Mali will begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Cape Verde before travelling to Liberia. Their group, Group K, also includes Rwanda.

The opening two rounds of fixtures will offer an early indication of the direction being taken by Da Silva and his new staff. But the manager will begin his tenure without two forwards initially selected for the squad and with the circumstances of Toure’s absence still unexplained.