Mali national team coach Soumaila Coulibaly has compared new Barcelona signing Ibrahim Diarra to club legend Rivaldo, describing the teenager as the brightest football prospect currently emerging from Mali.
Diarra recently completed his move to the Catalan giants from Africa Foot Academy, arriving with a growing reputation as one of Africa’s most exciting young talents.
Softfootball reports Coulibaly believes the 18-year-old possesses the technical ability and playing style required to succeed at Barcelona.
Speaking to Sport, Coulibaly said:
He has one of the most classic profiles of a Barcelona footballer that I have seen in a long time. Left-footed, powerful, with good one-on-one ability and moves very well between the lines, between the defence, to break the game when the opponent is compact and crouched at the back.
The Mali coach went on to compare Diarra with two of Barcelona’s most gifted left-footed players.
He reminds me of Rivaldo or Lamine Yamal, as they are also left-footers with similar characteristics. For me, he is the greatest talent in Mali right now, without a doubt,
he added.
Diarra will now hope to fulfil those lofty expectations as he begins the next chapter of his career at Barcelona.
