For RFI, Mohamed Sissoko known as “Momo” goes back in time and talks about his optimism for the future of Malian football. But the former Malian international, who played for PSG, does not mince his words when talking about the current state of football in Mali. A football embodied by the talent of Kamory Doumbia whom he sees as the future of the Eagles.
RFI: You are a former Paris Saint-Germain player. What do you think of this PSG version 2024-2025 ?
Momo Sissoko: I think it’s a team that is rebuilding and that is ambitious too. Their goal is to win this famous Champions League. It’s a team that is complete. Unfortunately, we are missing a striker. But once again, I think this is a team that will prove itself. The longer the championship goes, the more the team will reveal itself.
What do you remember from your time at Paris Saint-Germain between July 2011 and January 2013?
I only remember good memories. A very short stint, but very warm and even today, I have very good memories of Paris Saint-Germain. I was part of the “ first era » Qatari, and I am truly honored by that. Today, we see that it is a club that is recognized worldwide, it is a brand now, Paris Saint-Germain.
It’s true that at the football level, everyone is waiting for this Champions League. There are players who have been recruited, there is a lot of investment. It’s an ambitious team. Currently there is a change of direction, because before the policy was to buy stars like Neymar, Messi. For the past one or two seasons, we have focused more on players with high potential like Bradley Barcola or João Neves.
This start to Ligue 1 is exciting. Monaco is currently the leader. PSG is second. In ambush, there are OM, Lille, Lens. What do you think of these first days?
It’s a good thing because before, you told yourself that Paris Saint-Germain would easily be champions. Now they have direct competitors. We see teams who are there, good players who assert themselves. So it’s a good thing for Ligue 1 and for viewers. In the eyes of the world, clearly, it is the most complicated championship to play in, because it is really not easy to play in Ligue 1. We have seen it, there are many stars who have arrived in Ligue 1 and which were not satisfactory.
It’s a championship that has a lot of potential, a lot of young people from the Paris region or other regions who are developing and who then play in the best championships in the world. So, it’s a good thing and we can see that Ligue 1 is a revealer of talent.
Among the talents in Ligue 1, there are some Malian players like Massadio Haïdara, Kamory Doumbia, Lassine Sinayoko. For you, who is the Malian player to follow this season in Ligue 1?
Kamory Doumbiawithout hesitation, because it is a little one which is not yet known to the general public, but it is a little one which will reveal itself. He is a player with great potential, very intelligent and who, for me, could be one of the top players.
Personally, you have worn the Malian jersey 34 times. Was it important for you to play with the Eagles?
Yes, it was important. It’s true that I did all my classes with the French team. Afterwards, when I arrive in Valencia, I opt for Mali very quickly. For me, it’s a choice of the heart, a really very thoughtful choice. Many may say that it was a hasty choice, but I am very satisfied and very honored to have worn the jersey of the Mali national team. For me, it was the most important thing for me and my family. I am very happy currently to be able to represent and be an ambassador for Mali.
The Malian pool, for years, has seemed inexhaustible. There is a huge amount of talent coming from Mali and playing in the biggest European championships. But the paradox is that there is no trophy yet for Mali. You played in two CAN semi-finals (2004 and 2013). How do we explain that Mali has not yet won anything on the continental scene?
It’s true, it’s a fact. Mali has a very large pool, we have young talents, but I think that it is not a question of talent, it is a question of organization in all age categories. At the youngest level up to the Espoirs, we won everything on the African scene. Unfortunately, when we reach seniors, we don’t win anything. But it’s not the fact that we don’t have talent, it’s just a question of organization, of paying attention to the details, something that we haven’t yet managed to get right. .
Concretely, in your two semi-finals, what, according to you, was missing in your selection to go to the final?
The details. I think that on the details, we are not yet ready. We are playing well, but we are not there yet and we have to be careful how to manage the matches, how to manage the pressure, the people in the federation, how to put things in place to be able to put the players in the best conditions. Don’t worry about these famous bonuses, because that’s the subject that is really boring in Africa. And afterwards, when we manage to put all this in place, we will shine, that’s a certainty.
Can we say that it is one of your biggest frustrations as a footballer to not have won anything with your national team?
Yes, that’s my biggest frustration, clearly. For me, my dream was to win even an African Cup with Mali. Unfortunately, I stopped my career and I was unable to win this famous Cup. I hope that our young brothers will be able to honor us and ensure that we win this African Cup, not just for us players, but for all the people, because they really deserve to win a major title.
What is surprising is the lack of stability in recent years and in recent weeks. Did you understand, for example, the dismissal of Eric Chelle?
No, I didn’t understand it well. I don’t think anyone understood it. He was on a good dynamic, he created a group, managed to bring in dual nationals. He created something strong, a really hard core. He had the results. I don’t think it was the right time and the right timing to sack him. Now they got a new coach [Tom Sainfiet, NDLR]I hope he will bring something more and that he will win because it is the thing that everyone is waiting for.
I think that with his potential and what he has been able to build in the different national teams where he has been, especially with Gambia, I think that he is a coach who can bring added value to this national team.
What did you think of the suspension of captain Hamari Traoré by the Federation because he dared to criticize the management of Malian football?
When Hamari Traoré takes a stand, it is not for himself, it is for the evolution of Malian football. There’s a lot going on internally. Hamari is the captain of the Eagles, he is well placed to be able to express himself. My heart goes out to him. If he took a position, it is so that the next generations can work peacefully and above all so that Malian football develops properly. So, I think that all lovers of Mali will understand Hamari Traoré’s fed up.