Passport issues force Lassina Traore out of Burkina Faso’s squad for Russia, Belarus friendlies

In-form Lassina Traore will play no part in Burkina Faso’s upcoming international friendlies against Russia and Belarus despite enjoying an impressive end to the season with FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Stallions are scheduled to face Russia on 5 June in Volgograd before taking on Belarus four days later in Minsk as part of their preparations for future international assignments. However, one of Burkina Faso’s most dangerous attacking players will be absent from the squad.

Traore was left out of the 25-man list announced by head coach Amir Abdou, a decision that immediately sparked debate among supporters given the striker’s recent form in Ukraine.

The powerful forward finished the campaign strongly for Shakhtar Donetsk, registering seven goals and six assists across competitions. His performances helped re-establish him as one of Burkina Faso’s key attacking weapons after battling injuries in recent seasons.

With many fans questioning why such an influential player had been omitted, Amir Abdou moved quickly to clarify the situation and dismiss any suggestions that the exclusion was based on football reasons.

According to the Burkina Faso coach, the issue is linked to travel complications involving Traore’s passport and entry requirements for Russia.

“His absence is not down to sporting reasons,” Abdou explained. “Lassina had a great season, especially towards the end. Getting into Russia with his passport is a bit complicated. We didn’t want to take any risks. We’ll miss him.”

The coach’s comments underline how administrative and geopolitical complications can sometimes affect international football selections, particularly when fixtures are held in countries with strict visa and travel procedures.

Traore’s absence is undoubtedly a major blow for Burkina Faso heading into the two friendlies. The 24-year-old has grown into one of the national team’s most important attacking figures thanks to his physical presence, pace and finishing ability.

Even so, the upcoming matches will provide Amir Abdou with an opportunity to assess other attacking options as he continues building a competitive squad ahead of future Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup qualifying assignments.

Burkina Faso are expected to use the friendlies to sharpen tactical cohesion and test combinations against two physically demanding European opponents. Russia and Belarus will also view the fixtures as important preparation matches during the international window.

For Traore, the omission is expected to be temporary rather than long-term, with the striker likely to return to the Stallions setup once the travel complications are resolved.