Afcon 2017: Mali fail in bid to include Boro's Adama Traore in squad

Image source, Jan Kruger

Image caption, Adama Traore has represented Spain at youth level but Mali were keen for him to join them
  • Author, Oluwashina Okeleji
  • Role, 大象传媒 Sport

Middlesbrough winger Adama Traore has not been included in Mali's provisional squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after opting not to commit himself to the West African country.

The Spain-born winger had been tipped to switch international allegiance to his parents' homeland of Mali.

Brothers Sambou and Moustapha Yatabare are in the 26-man squad.

Crystal Palace winger Bakary Sako is included despite having played only 87 minutes for his club this season.

Mali have never won the Africa Cup of Nations. They were runners-up in 1972 and finished third in 2012 and 2013.

They were knocked out of the last tournament in the group stage but defender Hamari Traore believes the current generation have sufficient firepower to do much better in Gabon this time around.

"We know we are a young squad but we believe we can achieve success together as a team," Traore told 大象传媒 Sport.

"Mali have never won this tournament, that is the extra motivation for us to make a good impression.

"Yes there is no big star in our team because everybody is a star and that helps us mentally."

Mali are in Group D alongside four-time winners Ghana, Egypt and Uganda. Their opening match is against seven-time winners Egypt on 17 January.

The tournament kicks of on 14 January with the final on 5 February.

Mali squad:

Goalkeepers: Soumaila Diakit茅 and Djigui Diarra (Stade Malien de Bamako), Oumar Sissoko (Orl茅ans, France)

Defenders: Ousmane Coulibaly (Panathinaikos, Greece), Hamari Traore (Reims, France), Falaye Sacko (Vit贸ria Guimar茫es, Portugal), Molla Wagu茅 (Udinese, Italy), Salif Coulibaly (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Mohamed Oumar Konat茅 (RS Berkane, Morocco), Charles Blonda Traor茅 and Mahamadou N'Diaye (Troyes, France), Youssouf Kon茅 (Lille, France)

Midfielders: Yves Bissouma (Lille, France), Mamoutou N'Diaye (Royal Antwerp, Belgium), Lassana Coulibaly (Bastia, France), Yacouba Sylla (Montpellier, France), Samba Sow (Kayserispor, Turkey), Adama Traor茅 (AS Monaco, France), Sambou Yatabar茅 (Werder Bremen, Germany), Souleymane Diarra (Ujpest, Hungary), Moussa Doumbia (Rostov, Russia)

Forwards: Moussa Marega (Vit贸ria Guimar茫es, Portugal), Kalifa Coulibaly (Gent, Belgium), Moustapha Yatabar茅 (Karabukspor, Turkey), Adama Traor茅 (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Bakary Sako (Crystal Palace, England)