Football in Burkina Faso
Encyclopedia
Football is by far the most popular sport in Burkina Faso
. And the national association can look back on recent developments with a great deal of pride. Reaching the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations
on home soil in 1998, qualifying for the FIFA World Youth Championship in the UAE in 2003, and appearances at two final competitions of the CAF U-17 Cup, as well as third place at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad & Tobago in 2001 are Burkina Faso
s outstanding achievements at international level. The nations most famous players include Kassoum Ouegraogo, nicknamed Zico, who had his most successful seasons with Espérance de Tunis before ending his career in Germany
, Siaka Ouattara, who spent his entire career with Mulhouse
in France
, and Moumouni Dagano
, who was voted best African player in Belgium
in 2001, when he played for the Belgian side Genk
. He later went on to play for the French
side Guingamp
before transferring to another French team, FC Sochaux
in 2005.
Burkina Faso
received an unexpected free pass into the group stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cu qualification process, when their opening round contestant, the Central African Republic
, withdrew from the competition. This gave the West Africans, who were at that stage ranked 14th on the continent, the certainty that their name would be in the hat when the Preliminary Draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
was made. They got off to a flying start, beating Ghana
1-0 in their opening match and laying down a marker for their Group 2 adversaries South Africa
, Cape Verde Islands, Congo DR and Uganda
. The victory train began to come off the rails with two defeats to Cape Verde
, and with a record of two wins and three losses, Burkina Faso
were up against it at the half-way stage. Frenchman Bernard Simondi
took over the coaching reins from Ivica Todorov
and made the team harder to beat at home, even recording wins over South Africa
and Congo DR, but in the end it was not quite enough, and the likes of Abdoulaye Cisse
, Moumouni Dagano
, and Wilfred Sanou went no further in the competition.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. And the national association can look back on recent developments with a great deal of pride. Reaching the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations
African Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
on home soil in 1998, qualifying for the FIFA World Youth Championship in the UAE in 2003, and appearances at two final competitions of the CAF U-17 Cup, as well as third place at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad & Tobago in 2001 are Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
s outstanding achievements at international level. The nations most famous players include Kassoum Ouegraogo, nicknamed Zico, who had his most successful seasons with Espérance de Tunis before ending his career in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Siaka Ouattara, who spent his entire career with Mulhouse
Mulhouse
Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Moumouni Dagano
Moumouni Dagano
Beli Moumouni Dagano is a Burkinabé footballer. He currently plays for Al-Khor in Qatar.-Career:Dagano began his career at Ivorian side Stella Club d'Adjamé, based in Abidjan. In 1999 he moved back to his homeland, with Etoile Filante, before making his move to Europe a year later, with Belgian...
, who was voted best African player in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 2001, when he played for the Belgian side Genk
Genk
Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...
. He later went on to play for the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
side Guingamp
En Avant Guingamp
En Avant de Guingamp is a French association football club based in the commune of Guingamp. The club was founded in 1912 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football, having won promotion from the Championnat National following the 2010–11 season. Guingamp plays its home...
before transferring to another French team, FC Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
in 2005.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
received an unexpected free pass into the group stage of the 2006 FIFA World Cu qualification process, when their opening round contestant, the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
, withdrew from the competition. This gave the West Africans, who were at that stage ranked 14th on the continent, the certainty that their name would be in the hat when the Preliminary Draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was made. They got off to a flying start, beating Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
1-0 in their opening match and laying down a marker for their Group 2 adversaries South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Cape Verde Islands, Congo DR and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. The victory train began to come off the rails with two defeats to Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
, and with a record of two wins and three losses, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
were up against it at the half-way stage. Frenchman Bernard Simondi
Bernard Simondi
Bernard Simondi is an French former footballer and coach. He currently manages Al Ahli.He played for SC Toulon, Stade Lavallois, FC Tours and AS Saint-Étienne....
took over the coaching reins from Ivica Todorov
Ivica Todorov
Ivica Todorov, known in France as Yves Todorov is a Serbian-French football coach who is currently manager of Arab Contractors.He previously coached the Congo national side, a job which he took up in April 2008...
and made the team harder to beat at home, even recording wins over South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Congo DR, but in the end it was not quite enough, and the likes of Abdoulaye Cisse
Abdoulaye Cissé
Abdoulaye Cissé is a naturalized Burkinabé football striker, who plays for Al-Masry that currently competes in the Egyptian Premier League.-Career:...
, Moumouni Dagano
Moumouni Dagano
Beli Moumouni Dagano is a Burkinabé footballer. He currently plays for Al-Khor in Qatar.-Career:Dagano began his career at Ivorian side Stella Club d'Adjamé, based in Abidjan. In 1999 he moved back to his homeland, with Etoile Filante, before making his move to Europe a year later, with Belgian...
, and Wilfred Sanou went no further in the competition.