African champion last February with Ivory Coast, Oumar Diakité remained on cloud nine in Ligue 1. Since his return from Abidjan, the Elephant has scored three goals in 5 matches and has gained more weight in his club, Reims.
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The “hammer blow” of Ivory Coast on CAN 2024 seems to have aftershocks all the way to Ligue 1 with a still euphoric Oumar Diakité. The young Elephants striker, one of the most prominent players in the African Cup, has continued to shine since the lights of the Ivorian CAN went out. It is on the pitches of Ligue 1 with Reims that the 20-year-old player is now attracting the spotlight. Since his return from the CAN, Oumar Diakité has scored three goals and offered an assist in five matches. The last one was registered on Sunday March 17 against Metz (2-1). While there were only two goals left in 17 Ligue 1 matches since the start of the season.
There is a before and after CAN with Oumar Diakité, as the Rémois recognizes. “ The African Cup was beneficial for me, it happened at the right timehe confides. With everything that happened there as a scenario, it gave me a little more confidence, more energy and punch. I came back here with full confidence. »
“ Wrouwrou…»
The CAN was a trigger for the man who discovered France last September after a transfer from RB Salzburg (Austria) where he did not play any matches. The native of Bingerville, a promising striker trained at Asec Mimosas, joined the Austrian club in January 2022. Salzburg signed him to a five-year contract and immediately loaned him to FC Liefering, which plays in the Austrian second division. It is in this modest team based in Salzburg that the Ivorian hope reveals himself with 22 goals in 35 matches.
Performing well from his debut with Reims, scoring four times in the first three preparation matches, he unlocked his tally in Ligue 1, less than a month after his arrival in France. But Oumar Diakité struggled to string together good performances in the French Championship. “ At the start of the season, it was a bit complicated for me, because I couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities I had, admits the native of Bingerville. In recent matches, with the work that has been put in, it is starting to pay off. I score goals, I am decisive. But I didn’t doubt much even when it was complicated. »
Today, Oumar Diakité, who earned the nickname “wrouwrou” during the CAN, lives up to this nickname on the field. “ Wrouwrou is someone who moves a lot, who has lots of energy, he explains. Every time I entered the CAN matches, I was agitated. Wrouwrou is someone who runs a lot, who makes efforts, who brings new energy “.
In any case, in Reims, everyone has witnessed Diakité’s boundless energy since his return from Abidjan.