French defender Ibrahima Konaté recently chatted with Radio France’s sports team, sharing his story from childhood to Liverpool star.
From Streets to Stardom
Konaté’s all smiles and good vibes were contagious, even on the radio! He talked about growing up with a big love for two things: his family and Dragon Ball Z (we all know who his favorite character is).
🇫🇷🇯🇵 Konaté: “When I watch Manga, my Liverpool teammates say: ‘You’re too big to watch that!’ — what they don’t understand is that it inspires me.”
“Sometimes, before certain matches, I put on fight scenes and it gives me determination!” (FranceInfo) pic.twitter.com/kUTFKIuLYT
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) March 22, 2024
He also dished on his childhood hero, the legendary Ronaldo, who totally inspired his love for the game.
The mentality, for example, of a Vegeta, working to be better than the best, is something that motivates me. Sometimes, you’ll do a workout, you’ll think of him and it’ll boost you. It’s daily inspiration.” – konate via franceinfo
Believe it or not, Konaté wasn’t always a defender. Back in the day at Paris FC, he actually resisted the switch, but some wise coaches saw his talent and helped him find his defensive footing. Now, he credits his teammate Virgil van Dijk as a major influence on his development as a top defender.
More Than Just Football
When he’s not on the pitch, Konaté chills out with some good manga. He says characters like Goku and Vegeta, who are always pushing themselves to be better, inspire his own relentless work ethic. Family is also super important to Konaté, and he gave a shout-out to his loved ones for keeping him grounded.
The Future’s a Mystery, But Anfield’s Home
With all the recent changes at Liverpool, including manager Jürgen Klopp leaving, Konaté says he’s still totally committed to the club. He knows things can change fast in football, but for now, he loves being at Anfield and can’t wait to face some old rivals in European competitions.
Liverpool is Liverpool. It was Klopp who came for me and took me to the level I am at today. It will always remain a legendary, exceptional club. Everyone is apprehensive, every player is aware of that. Who will be the new coach, will things go well, collectively and individually? Because tomorrow a new coach arrives but for personal reasons, he may not like us. And you can’t stay at the club because you have your career, you have your pleasures. – konate on his liverpool career
Focus on the Team
As Konaté keeps proving himself as a key player for both France and Liverpool, his main goal is winning with his teams. His story is all about hard work and never giving up, which is pretty inspiring!