Maï Traoré Explained

Maï Traoré[1]
Birth Date:24 November 1999
Birth Place:Conakry, Guinea
Position:Forward
Clubnumber:11
Years1:2016–2017
Clubs1:FC Aliya Guinée
Years2:2017–2021
Clubs2:Vasalunds IF
Caps2:79
Goals2:41
Years3:2021–2024
Clubs3:Viking
Caps3:33
Goals3:4
Years4:2023
Clubs4:OH Leuven (loan)
Caps4:1
Goals4:0
Years5:2023
Clubs5:Tromsø (loan)
Caps5:15
Goals5:4
Years6:2024–
Caps6:8
Goals6:1
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalteam1:Guinea U23
Club-Update:27 July 2024

Maï Traoré (born 24 November 1999) is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eliteserien club Fredrikstad .[2]

Club career

Early career

Traoré started his senior career with Congolese club AC Ujana in 2016. In 2017, he joined Swedish club Vasalunds IF. In the first months, he only featured for the club's U19 and U21 teams. He made his senior debut for Vasalund in the 2017–18 Svenska Cupen against Hammarby on 18 February 2018, even scoring a goal.[3] [4] In the 2020 Division 1, he scored 23 goals in 29 matches.[5]

Viking

In March 2021, he transferred to the Norwegian Eliteserien club Viking FK, signing a four-year contract. He stayed with Vasalund for the first half of the 2021 season, before joining Viking in August 2021.[6] [7] He was given shirt number 24 at his new club.[8] On 8 August 2021, he made his debut against Kristiansund, coming on as a substitute in the 43rd minute for an injured Veton Berisha.[9] On 16 May 2022, he scored his first goal for the club against Jerv.

In January 2023, Traoré joined Belgian First Division A club OH Leuven on loan until the end of the season with an option to make the move permanent.[10] Traoré made his debut for OH Leuven on 4 February 2023, when he came on in the last minute of the 2–1 away loss to Seraing.[11] This would turn out to be his only minute in an OHL-shirt, as a few weeks later on 31 March 2023, Norwegian club Tromsø announced they had taken over the loan deal, including the option to buy.[12]

Fredrikstad

After ending his loan spell at Tromsø, Traoré signed for fellow Eliteserien club Fredrisktad on a three-year contract.[2]

International career

Traoré has featured for the Guinea U23 national team. On 15 November 2018, he scored a goal against Mauritania in the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification.[13] [14]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vasalund2018Division 22411412812
2019Ettan16210172
20202923103023
2021Superettan10500105
Total7941618542
Viking2021Eliteserien10010110
20222344152327
Total3345152437
OH Leuven (loan)2023Jupiler Pro League100010
Tromsø (loan)2023Eliteserien15432186
Fredrikstad2024200020
Career total130491445214955

Honours

Vasalunds IF

2020[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mai Traore / Viking. Viking FK. no. 2 April 2022.
  2. News: Mai Traoré er klar. no. Fredrikstad FK. 12 January 2024. 1 February 2024.
  3. Web site: Mai Traore. lagstatistik.se. 31 July 2021. sv.
  4. News: Efter galna prestationen – talangen kan säljas inom kort. Expressen. Oskar. Lund. 23 June 2020. 31 July 2021. sv.
  5. https://www.svenskfotboll.se/spelarfakta/mai-traore/43554cc1-c1ea-4ca6-af32-64a179f21a58/ Maï Traoré
  6. News: Mai Traore har signert. Mai Traore has signed. Svendsen. Dag Atle. Viking FK. 15 March 2021. 16 March 2021. no.
  7. News: Overgangen bekreftet: Mai Traore klar for Viking. Stavanger Aftenblad. Kjetil. Flygind. Stig. Nilssen. 11 March 2021. 14 April 2021. no.
  8. News: Flere bytter draktnummer. Dag Atle. Svendsen. Viking FK. 26 April 2021. 7 May 2021. no.
  9. News: Tripic tilbake i storslag da Viking tok etterlengtet seier. Stavanger Aftenblad. Stig. Nilssen. 8 August 2021. 8 August 2021. no.
  10. Web site: AANVALLENDE VERSTERKING VOOR OH LEUVEN. OFFENSIVE REINFORCEMENT FOR OH LEUVEN. Dutch. www.ohleuven.com. 24 January 2023. 24 January 2023.
  11. Web site: Het wonder is geschied: Seraing viert tegen OHL eerste thuiszege op cruciaal moment . 4 February 2023 .
  12. https://www.til.no/nyheter/traore-har-signert
  13. News: Éliminatoires de la CAN U23: la liste des joueurs convoqués par Souleymane Camara. Journal de Conakry. 31 October 2018. 8 August 2021. fr.
  14. News: Qualification de la CAN U23: La Guinée domine la Mauritanie à Nouakchott. Journal de Conakry. 15 November 2018. 8 August 2021. fr.
  15. Web site: Ettan Norra 2020. Swedish Football Association. 31 July 2021. sv.