National player Malis
©Gaoussou Diarra
On Friday, Feyenoord Rotterdam Gaoussou Diarra presented as a new addition. 3.8 million euros flow to the Turkish second division club Istanbulspor, the 22 -year -old Malier rises in the career ladder. So far, so ordinary, but Diarra’s way to professional football was no more ordinary and started with something completely different: studying.
“When I came to Turkey from Mali, my priority was the training. I didn’t intend to continue playing football,” said Diarra in one Interview with the Turkish transfer market editorial team at the end of March. Only with the aim of starting studying at the university was he went to Istanbul in September 2022. Then he was 19 years old and had learned playing football on the streets of Malis and later visited an academy. That was all he had to show.
In Istanbul, Diarra started studying business administration, and he also joined an amateur association. At one of his games, his today’s advisor Buruçhan Düzgün discovered him, who, as Diarra told him, opened the door to professional football. He lived in the Turkish metropolis for a year and a half when he was informed that he was allowed to train Tuzliaspor with the second division club. “I was very excited,” said Diarra. He knew how to convince and signed a professional contract in January 2024. However, Tuzlaspor had already exhausted the maximum number of squad places for foreigners, which is why Diarra had to wait. Several months.
For about half a year, team training was the highest of feelings for him, then Tuzlaspor got off at the end of the season and Diarra had to look for a new club. At that time he hadn’t played a single professional game, he was in a sensitive situation. “Trial training was very important to me to prove me. But many teams hesitated to give me an opportunity at all, which was mainly due to the foreigners. He described the phase as difficult and demoralizing, at times he was about to “lose hope”. But with Istanbulsspor, pretty much everything changed for him.
“The technical director Osman Zeki Korkmaz greeted me very warmly when he saw me for the first time. Despite my lack of experience, he admired my determination and skills. His support and encouragement encouraged me in my decision to continue my football career in Turkey and to open a new chapter in my life,” said Diarra about the successful trial training in the second division, in mid -August, with a contract with a contract, with a contract signed. At that time, it was still equipped with a market value of 25,000 euros, should he almost heal it within one year and to get the most expensive sale of the club history.
Diarra became a national player in the first professional season
In his first game as a professional, the attacker scored a goal. On the 3rd matchday against Sanliurf aspor, he was substituted in the 63rd minute, in the sixth minute of stoppage time he was allowed to cheer with a flat shot into the far corner after a complete counterattack. “It was very important for me not to disappoint my trainer’s trust. When I scored a goal, I ran directly to him and hugged him. I was really very happy,” said Diarra. Even though he took his first steps as a professional, the season was part of the regular personnel. In the end he came to 33 games in the league, and he was allowed to get 29 times right from the start. Diarra scored 15 hits and two templates, and its market value climbed to 2.4 million euros.
Gaoussou Diarra cheered a goal for Istanbulsspor
“Of course I would like to play at the highest level and prove myself in Europe or the leading leagues. But my biggest goal is currently to do my best and to inspire the young painters who share my dreams,” said Diarra in March. Less than four months later, he is a new addition to Feyenoord – and even national player. At the beginning of June he was allowed to play 27 minutes for Mali at the friendly against the Democratic Republic of Congo (0: 1). When asked TM, Diarras Düzgün announces that his client is very happy about the effort for the national team and that the next international matches are targeting.
And what about studying? Diarra currently does not want to comment on his academic career, his advisor explains that the situation is currently unclear. “It is not easy to play professional football and watch an academic career at the same time, but I’m very struggling for both,” said Diarra in March. At that time it was two years until the target.
For him, the joy of switching to 16 times the Dutch champion is currently outweighed. “It is fantastic that I can play for a large European club like Feyenoord. I have never played in a stadium as large as de Kuip, so my family and I are very proud,” Diarra is quoted on the website of his new club. “I am very happy that Feyenoord gives me the time and trust to develop myself into a player for this level. I can’t wait to get started and hope that I can prove my value soon.”
