Greg . 7 hours ago

EXCLUSIVE: Ibrahima Diallo on the great potential of Qatar and his international future

Ibrahima Diallo has been in Qatar since 2023 and now plays for Al Ahli Doha.

A former France U-21 international, he has not given up on an international future, and talks about his experience in a country where football is developing more and more, with an emotional look at his former club Brest, and a few memories of Monaco.

Hello Ibrahima, how are you? Did your physical preparation for the new season go well? "Yes, it went pretty well.

We had a big pre-season with the coach and the staff, who put in a lot of hard work.

After that, it's always a bit complicated, because it's always very hot during this period, so training the immune system gets very hot.

But listen, it's going pretty well.

"There's a good group of people, and they're pretty focused and determined.

Unfortunately, we lost our first game, but that's something that happens, and we're determined to win our first game very quickly.

"Did you get the feeling from that first game that something was falling into place, despite the defeat, and that things could still come together as a team? "Yes, I think we need to build on what we've already done in pre-season, because a match is always special, especially the first one.

We've seen other favourite teams who haven't started very well either, so a first match is always special.

"Now, I think we've worked very well, the group, as I said, is good, there's a good atmosphere with quality players, so it's just a question of getting everything in place.

There are also quite a few new players, so it's normal that sometimes it takes a little longer to show up in the results, but in any case, it's pretty good news.

"This is your third club in Qatar, so why have you moved around so much in such a short space of time? Is it because you've really found your feet? "That would require a three-hour interview! No, it's just the facts, the ups and downs, the things that have made me transfer, but there you have it, in any case, all the clubs I've been to, I've had a really good experience of them, I've been able to learn from all the clubs, I've met some good people, whether they be my team-mates.

""So I'm someone who's always looking forward, and now I'm at Al Ahli Doha, very happy, a very good club, and I'm looking forward to the season with this club, hoping that we'll have some very good results, both collectively and even individually.

"As you've been to all three clubs, you're in a good position to judge the level of the Qatar Stars League.

What do you think, personally? You've been here for two years, and you've played all over the place.

What do you think of the level? "The level is pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived, because you hear a bit of everything, but I like to make up my own mind by experiencing the thing, and there is a pretty good level.

"There are sometimes some gaps between the very big teams and the teams at the bottom of the table, but in general, it's a pretty good level, so I was pleasantly surprised.

"There's always a lot of talk about life in Qatar.

What can you tell us about that? Because we hear everything and anything about the way of life, the climate, which has an impact on what you do on a daily basis, is it something you've adapted to quickly? "You can't really adapt to the climate, except if you have an indoor job where it's much easier to manage, but when you have an outdoor job that requires intense physical effort, you can't really get used to it, because it's really hard.

"There's a huge amount of humidity, especially in July and August, so you just have to put your back into it for a few weeks.

But for the rest of the year, it's just magnificent, because the weather is great, and life there is also very pleasant, especially for me, as I have a family with children, and it's really suitable.

So, all positive.

"And how do the clubs put you in the best possible position when the heat is too strong? "We train when the sun goes down, when the sun goes to bed, and when the temperature is more bearable, even if in the end I have the impression that there's perhaps a little more humidity in the evening, but let's just say that to do the best we can, we have to train at special times.

You're on loan at Al Ahli Doha this season.

Do you think your team can challenge for the title? Or is that not the objective?"I think that every team should aim to play at the top.

Now, when you look at the club's record, it's not necessarily a club that regularly played for the title, so obviously, you have to be realistic about that.

I think the team has improved.

I think the team is pretty complete.

"But what you have to take into account this year is that they've changed the rules.

We're allowed to have more international players on the team sheet, but you can't start them all.

And every time, you have to substitute one international player with another, so there are a lot of things that have changed in the rules.

"And that is an unknown for all the teams, and it's hard to plan.

I think the most important thing is to concentrate and take it match by match.

But in any case, I believe in it.

I think we've got the squad to do something really interesting this year.

In any case, there's no reason to limit ourselves.

"So, in terms of numbers, how does it look? Can you tell me about the number of international players who can do that?"There are six internationals who can be first-choice players.

And every time you want to make a change, to bring an international in from the bench, you have to bring another one out.

So it's complicated.

 In other words, even if I don't know, you have all the internationals who are pretty good on the pitch, but you want to bring in another one, you'll have to make a change that you didn't necessarily want to make.

"So it's really complicated to manage.

And that can make a huge difference to the way you do things.

In fact, which staff or which team will manage it best? Well, there can be a lot of things.

There's the human side, because it's special.

When you're an international, you come with a certain status.

What kind of people in the team will be able to put their egos to one side? So it's going to be special.

"And what was the reason given by the Qatar Stars League? Is there an explanation given? "I couldn't really tell you.

I've asked.

I tried to find out too.

I didn't get a clear answer as to what they were really trying to do, why they set it up.

I don't know exactly.

So I'm not going to say anything stupid.

But I think they know what they're doing.

Maybe it's an experiment.

 Ibrahima Diallo has found his feet in Qatar.

Qatar Stars LeagueA team-mate like Julian Draxler is important in a team like this.

He's at the end of his career, but he's still one of the biggest names in the QSL right now.

Is he someone who has come to pass on his knowledge to other players and discover something new?"Everyone knows what a player Julian Draxler is.

I think we're lucky to have him in our team.

He can contribute a lot, both on and off the pitch.

He can be an example for young players.

No, it's really interesting to have him in the team.

That's for sure.

"You started your career at Brest.

You made it up to Ligue 1.

Since you left, Brest has had some great success.

Are you surprised by what's happened at Brest over the last two seasons? The top four finish in Ligue 1, the incredible run in the Champions League, with players who were there when you were.

Does that surprise you?"I'm not at all surprised that we're progressing.

Now, I think the Champions League was a bit unexpected, because it happened quite quickly.

But I knew that the project was solid.

"There were very solid foundations, with very intelligent people who had a vision in mind.

And the good thing for me was that I was really able to be at the very beginning of the project.

And Grégory Lorenzi, the sporting director, had already explained his vision to me.

"And I was more or less the first piece in the youth project that Brest wanted to set up from the outset, bringing in young talent to help them progress.

I was the first player with whom Brest did it.

I remember that at the time.

So I had a really good talk with him.

So I knew that the project was interesting and that it was going to lead to something very interesting.

But now, it's true that it happened very, very quickly, even more quickly than I thought.

"It's a club where I've really enjoyed playing, a city where I've enjoyed living.

And it's funny because, at the start, I was worried because I was moving from Monaco to Brest, which was quite a brutal transfer (laughs).

So when I arrived there, I didn't know the region at all.

It was very cold, whereas in Monaco it was completely different.

"In the end, I was very, very pleasantly surprised, and I really liked this region.

The seafood, the semi-salted butter (laughs).

I've been eating a lot of it since I left Brittany.

But no, in any case, when it comes to the project, I'm not surprised.

And I'm very happy that it has exceeded expectations.

" Does this explosion make you regret not staying in Brest?"No.

When I made that choice, I knew why I made it.

I had given it a lot of thought.

And no, no, I'm not looking back.

It was a step.

I really enjoyed my time there.

"But it's just that it was a moment for me when I had to transfer on.

And that doesn't stop me from being extremely happy for my former team-mates, the club, everyone, even the people who work at the club in behind-the-scenes jobs.

Frankly, I'm extremely happy for them.

" How has the Gulf improved its image? When the market opened in 2023, the image wasn't necessarily good.

"I think there are several things.

First of all, I think that, as we said, the countries themselves, and I'm not talking about football here, are increasingly attractive because you have an incredible quality of life.

That's the first thing.

For example, I've experienced it myself.

When you have a family and you live in a country like Qatar, you have a quality of life, services and so on that you can't find anywhere else in the world.

So that's the first point.

"The second point is that, like many leagues before it, we saw a time in Russia, we saw a time in China, to attract players, they offered higher salaries than in European leagues.

That's a reality, too.

After that, they were clever.

"They were able to attract extraordinary ambassadors.

In Saudi Arabia, they started with Cristiano Ronaldo.

I think that gave the other players confidence that if Cristiano does it, there's something to be done over there and it could be interesting.

It's a strategy they've put in place that's paying off so far.

"You can see it in Qatar, where they've brought in Marco Verratti.

There are a lot of things like that that mean you have to start with solid foundations that will underway the door a little and attract others.

It'll take time, but in any case, things are looking pretty good at the moment.

It's not always easy to follow, but it's true that from what I can see, there's a linear progression that's quite interesting.

" You won the Gambardella Cup in 2016 with Monaco.

When you look at where that team is today, you have superstar Kylian Mbappe, players who play in minor leagues and some who have stopped playing.

Why hasn't everyone taken the plunge? "I think, above all, that those who have done so should stand out.

I think it's a very good example for people to understand and see once again that playing football and even joining a training centre is fine, but it's no guarantee of becoming a professional.

There are so many players who want to become professionals, and even players who don't go to a training centre, that doesn't mean they won't become professionals.

It's extremely complicated.

There's very little room.

"You can say that there are some who have made more effort, others who have been more serious, and so on.

But sometimes it's just a matter of opportunities, being there at the right time, having a coach who believes in you, having an agent who has a certain contact.

"That's also true.

There are so many parameters to take into account.

Some people are stronger than others who haven't succeeded.

That's also a reality.

Football isn't just about "you go out on the pitch and the best player becomes a professional".

"Sometimes it's the family.

Unfortunately, they can get in your way, sometimes unintentionally, but it's a reality.

Sometimes they're the ones who are going to take you up.

That's the way life is.

That's the way it is in every field, even outside football.

"But then again, there are some who haven't made it in football.

That doesn't mean they haven't had great success in another field.

There isn't necessarily a magic formula.

It's just life.

For those who have succeeded, so much the better.

And for those who haven't succeeded, it's up to them to succeed in another field, quite simply.

"Is it a regret for you that you didn't manage to break through in Monaco? "No, because I could have tried a bit harder.

It was a deliberate choice.

I left at a very young age.

I had acquired my professional contract.

They believed in me as a hopeful.

But I'd seen others before me who'd tried a bit harder, and in the end, they got lost.

"Unfortunately, I think that when we were at Monaco, there were a lot of very high-level players with very high status.

Sometimes, it's the clubs that don't necessarily give a opportunity to the players who were trained with them.

Or very little.

"We even saw that at the time, I remember, with Kylian Mbappe.

It's funny when you look at his career now, but he had to push and force his side to really get a opportunity.

Even though he was clearly the biggest talent.

So I didn't want to take that risk.

I wanted to take a risk that might have been bigger at the start, but who's trying anything? And I thought it was the right time for me.

"So I decided to go on loan to Brest as a very young player, to a club that was ambitious in Ligue 2, with experienced players.

And in a year, you have very little time to really make your mark and establish yourself.

So it was a risk.

But in the end, the risk paid off, and I don't regret it.

But it could also have been too big a risk.

"And maybe afterwards, I would have come back to Monaco with a failure in Ligue 2.

So my status as a great hope might have taken a hit, too.

It was a risk I had to take, but I took it and it paid off.

So I'm pretty satisfied.

"