8th of February 2015.

8-8.

Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry has just saved his opposite number, Brimah Razak’s attempt from the penalty spot. It’s his turn now to step up. He puts the ball down and braces himself for what is undoubtedly the biggest moment of his life.

The first 5 steps of this run-up are a slow, time-stopping walk. The final 3 are quick and ugly. He smashes the ball into the right hand corner, Razak dives the right way.

It doesn’t matter. The ball’s in the net before he hits the floor.

Boubacar Barry has just stamped his name into African football folklore. He has scored the winning penalty to give Ivory Coast their first AFCON championship in 23 years at the hands of Ghana.

The nation erupts. Street parties across the county ensued and euphoria polluted the air for weeks. Fans danced, adults wept and this moment became etched in time as the symbolic rebirth of a nation which had been riddled with instability, war and political disputes in the decades prior.

Somewhere amongst the madness, in the streets of Yopougon, Abidjan where parties lasted for days, were two boys, aged 8 - born only 5 months apart. Two boys who were undoubtedly mystified by the scenes and the emotions they had seen this glorious sport cause for their loved ones. Two boys who already had a passion for football, but this occasion had just cemented it as a full-fledged fixation. And this fixation would lead them to growing and becoming two of the most exciting footballers the continent of Africa currently has to offer.

In the penultimate track of the highly acclaimed 2021 album ‘Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert’ lies a song named ‘How Did You Get Here’ where Little Simz discusses the sacrifices and the belief she had to install in herself in order to get to where she is today. An emotional track in which she recalls crying whilst during recording due to the weight of her reflections and the realisation she’s truly living her dream, this piece of music serves as a tiny glimpse into the world of intensity at which the supremely talented live their lives.

‘How did you get here?’ Is also the question I asked myself when I stumbled across 19 year old Ivorian midfielder Christ Inao Oulai at this year’s AFCON and checked his Fotmob to see he was applying his trade at Turkish side Trabzonspor, currently third in the Super Lig. It’s unusual to see a teenager from the Ivory Coast playing in Turkey and it’s even more unusual when said teenager is so talented and highly rated. Cycling through the pillars which shaped his life, I realised that Oulai’s story has strong ties to what Little Simz was rapping about.

Christ Inao Oulai is a 5’8’’ central midfielder, born 6 June 2006 and raised in Youpougon, one of the many districts of Abidjan, the largest city in the Côte d’Ivoire. He is the youngest of 11 children and just like his siblings and all the other children in football-mad city of Abidjan, he had dreams of representing his country just like the city’s finest Didier Drogba, Cheick Tiote and Didier Zokora were able to do.

But unlike most of his agemates, Oulai was one of the very few who was talented enough to potentially see this dream through. He grew up playing football barefoot on the streets, just like most did, and at age 12 he joined the prestigious JMG academy in the city of Djékanou, 143 miles away from home.

How Did You Get Here? He left everything he knew to pursue his dreams of becoming a footballer before he was even a teenager.

The JMG academy is widely considered the best academy in Africa, and why shouldn’t it be when it’s produced the Toure brothers, Gervinho, Cheick Doucoure, Youssef Atal, Amadou Haidara and many others who have gone on to make a dent in European football. But away from the footballers, they produce - JMG is known for its idiosyncratic developmental methods.

From the age of 12 to 15, there are no goalkeepers in the academy. In the beginning, you are forced to play barefoot and earn your sneakers to then earn your football boots. The ball is not allowed to be above head height and before and after every training session you are forced to juggle the ball in the air whilst running at pace - with every possible part of your body. You are then evaluated and graded on your ability to do such. Jean-Marc Guillou, who founded the academy in 1994, believed in playing attractive football, playing forward and taking risks and was fed up with the mundane and robotic training methods he became used to during his playing career.

And so he used his initiative to create a modern-day academy built on developing players’ skill and technical ability rather than their physicality. And that is exactly what brings us to Christ Inao Oulai.

How often do you see 5’8’’ central midfielders making it through the English academy system all the way to senior football? There’s every chance that Oulai, if born and raised in England, wouldn’t have made it to the top level. But don’t think because he isn’t physically imposing or that his figure doesn’t radiate brute athleticism, that this isn’t a player who can dominate midfields.

Oulai was discovered by French second division side SC Bastia at a football tournament in Morocco whilst playing for JMG. Scout Pierre-Paul Antonetti said that he was impressed by Oulai’s technique and ability, but above all, his strong personality. This is the personality that results from being the youngest of 11 siblings: fighting for every crumb, not being intimidated by those twice his size - that Oulai has kept with him on the pitch.

An 18 year old Christ Inao Oulai signing for SC Bastia in July 2024

And it’s likely the same personality and fearlessness which led him to Turkey, deciding to not go down the traditional route for young players in France. Despite a host of French top division clubs being interested in the Ivorian, he took the risk to journey into untreaded waters and take his talents to Turkey.

At age 19, Oulai is already a starter and pivotal member of the squad for both club and country. Even though he’s small in stature, his ability on the pitch surmounts any physical weaknesses. He operates in a midfield pivot for Trabzonspor, typically next to the French Jabol-Folcarelli. In this pivot, Oulai is instructed to receive from the centre-backs and progress the ball forward.

And he does this well. The Ivorian has no problem showing for the ball. He moves quickly to try and create space and will often ask for the ball when seemingly under pressure. He trusts himself and his teammates seemingly trust him as they give him the ball in difficult situations because he has that ability to wriggle out of them.

Oulai’s ‘personality’ on the pitch is obvious when you watch him. He demands the ball at his feet and is determined to carry it forward. Any space he sees, he heads towards, using his fantastic acceleration and motor to burst past his opponents and eat up the ground. His acceleration and carrying are his USP. Because of his size, (or lack thereof) Oulai can go from 0 to 60 a lot quicker than most of his opponents. His agility and low centre of gravity means he can duck and weave past players going at pace whilst although small, his core strength allows him to take contact well, making him a nifty dribbler difficult to get a hold of

*Inao Oulai winning MOTM at AFCON. Image via @BenBoscak on X*

As I said before, it was at AFCON where Oulai’s talents were first raised to me. Instead of a pivot, the 19 year old operated on the left hand side of a midfield 3 with Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangaré anchoring the centre. Oulai was given a bit more freedom in this setup and he took it and ran. He was popping up in all areas of the pitch with the ball, taking it past players and causing havoc everywhere he went. In Ivory Coast’s 3-0 win over Burkina Faso, Oulai was fouled 7 times whilst also winning 10/11 of his ground duels. This pair of stats sum him up perfectly.

A nuisance. He’s wriggly, he plays with purpose and he’s tenacious out of possession. A thorn in any midfield’s backside, his lack of size is his strength and it makes him an extremely enjoyable player to watch.

Ask yourself this. How many 5’8’ midfielders are out there right now who are extremely important players for their club side and nation? The answer should tell you how special Oulai is.

However, it would be erroneous of me to act as if he was the perfect player, because like everyone else he does have weaknesses. He’s a carrier first, and a passer second. Whilst that’s not a weakness in its own right, the Trabzonspor midfielder likes to take a lot of touches with the ball. Sometimes this can land him in trouble as he sometimes ‘over-dribbles’ through congested spaces or takes a touch slightly too heavy which lands him in spots of bother. As a passer, he’s seemingly alright but there’s a tendency to overhit passes which are over 15 yards, no doubt due to his eagerness to play forward. He isn’t the type of player that will sit in front of the backline, pass the ball around and control the game. He only really plays at one (extremely high) tempo and that’s an area he can improve on. Also quite heavily right-footed, Oulai has shown glimpses of being able to use his left and can distribute with it under pressure but he’s much happier on his right, and sometimes looks to avoid using his weaker foot if he can help it. This isn’t a pressing concern right now but will limit his effectiveness in possession when he doesn’t have space to run into.

Without the ball, Oulai doesn’t let his figure stop him from out-duelling opponents. He’s strong in the tackle and has brilliant recovery pace to catch up with and stop attackers. However, he’s sometimes slow to close down spaces and it takes him a while to read danger. He tends to be a few seconds late to close down an opponent, giving them much appreciated time to turn and he reacts slowly to read and cut off passing lanes, which makes me feel his future lies in a midfield 3 rather than a double pivot.

Inao Oulai thrives in space. If he sees a gap with the ball at his feet, he’ll go for it and think about the consequences after. It’s a positive playstyle which is a direct result of his upbringing and footballing education. Unique circumstances create unique footballers and wherever he goes next, he’s bound to leave a good impression on you.

The third track of the second disk of Wu-Tang Clan’s sophomore album is titled impossible. It features timeless verses from RZA, U-God and an all-timer, show-stopping verse from Ghostface Killah all underpinned by an obtrusive yet weirdly smooth hook from Tekhita. Personally one of my favourite songs of all time from one of hip-hop’s finest rap groups.

The song is used as a message to warn others about the increasing crime rates in NYC. In this instance, I thought to use this song and this next player as a warning about misprofiling and misinterpreting footballers.

Patrick Zabi fits the song title because the stuff he does, at the size he’s at, shouldn’t really be possible. Like Inao Oulai he was born in Yopougon, Abidjan and like Inao Oulai, he started playing football on the street (There’s a slight possibility that they may have even played together at one point considering they lived in the same neighbourhood for over 10 years). Zabi was brought up playing ‘Maracanas’ which are 6 aside games and it was during these games, the Ivorian began to earn a reputation.

After impressing at a number of informal tournaments, Zabi was given the nickname of ‘Zabi La Magie’ due to his magical dribbling abilities and inventive passing. It was these abilities which landed him at the highly regarded Ivoire FC and the same abilities which got him scouted and signed by Reims when he was 18. The same academy which played a hand in carving out the careers of Champions League players Hugo Ekitike, Axel Disasi and Mamadou Diakhon.

Like Inao Oulai, Zabi’s physical profile stands out straight away, but for the opposite reason. Heis 6'3' but he doesn’t play like it. Because his football background featured predominantly small-sided games, where imagination, creativity and technical prowess are all pivotal, it means the Ivorian’s skillset, combined with his size create something that is quite unique to watch.

The first thing we need to do when dealing with a player this talented is not pigeonhole him into something he’s not. Zabi is tall, yes, and he’s also technically brilliant on the ball - but that’s as far as it goes for those that might initially think he’s a defensive midfielder. From the three Reims games I watched this season, in which Zabi started all 3, it’s apparent he doesn’t seem to be all that interested in defending. He’s slow to close-down and lacks awareness of what’s around him when he doesn’t have the ball. This leads him to make many clumsy fouls in situations where he should really be coming out with the ball. He’s bound to win tackles due to his size and athleticism, but I would be reluctant to call him a good tackler.

Maybe this can be drilled into him further down the line, but history has taught us that it’s a bad idea to try and make players into something they aren’t. Many might look at him and at first glance assume he’s a defensive player, due to historical biases, but it couldn’t be further from the case.

Patrick Zabi is a central midfielder and could probably be an attacking midfielder if he wanted to. Though he’s right-footed, his left isn’t all that far behind. Zabi dribbles with two feet, can receive excellently with his left and pass and shoot off it like it’s nothing - already setting him apart from other midfielders. Very rarely does he look rushed or like he’s not in control of what he’s doing. And it is very hard to stop him from doing what he wants to, because he’s a step ahead of you upstairs and he’s got the physical toolkit to out-manouvre you every single time. It’s why when you watch him, you’ll see he barely ever loses the ball.

For Reims he operates as an attack-minded 8 with license to go where he pleases, not really tasked with collecting the ball from the centre-backs. “Get him as close to goal as possible because he improves our chances of scoring” (Reims manager Karel Geraerts, probably). He also likes to drift out to the left touchline and conduct business as a winger, whipping teasing crosses in off either foot, no 6’3’’ midfielder should really be doing this but Zabi does, and he does it eerily well.

You see he, like Oulai - is a product of his footballing background. His small-sided upbringing is painfully obvious in every one-two, every jinky dribble and every genius touch he comes up with. He uses the ball as a conduit between him and his teammates and plays with the same freedom he likely felt back in the Maracanas. Sometimes he can open a game up with a quick one-touch pass forward and other times he can do so by skating past two or three players. His imagination is his best attribute.

But to go with his imagination, his physical profile is what truly sets him apart. Tons of midfielders can think quickly, many of them can dribble elegantly, and a few of them are more-or-less two-footed. But nearly none of them are 6’3’’ and can change direction like the wind. That’s why I chose the song ‘Impossible’. It’s a profile you make when you’re creating a player on FIFA. Zabi can change pace quickly whilst being able to accelerate and stop on a dime better than most half his size. Being that tall is already a blessing, but the way Zabi uses his body (especially his arms) makes him incredibly difficult to fend off the ball, and again it’s something he may have learnt from an early age, playing football on the street.

Blessed with a combination of physical and technical skills most footballers wish they could have one of, Zabi is undoubtedly one of those players who I’d be backing to really go and make a name for himself on the European stage. Paris FC are aware of the limitless potential he holds, which is why they captured his signature in January - shattering their current transfer record by 8 million euros in the process, before loaning him back out to Reims. Providing they stay in Ligue 1 (currently 15th), a stint in the French capital will serve as the perfect stepping stone for Zabi and give him a strong taste of top-flight football whilst being able to improve on the weaker areas of his game.

The reason I chose to write about both these players within the same articles because:

It’s quite bewildering they were born 5 months apart in the same neighbourhood
They’re both young midfielders with a unique skillset, resulting from unique pathways into the professional game
I can’t help but reminisce of a certain World Cup winning midfield duo whenever I see each of them play individually

Kante and Pogba are two of the best midfielders I’ve ever watched, and so need to be careful when comparing anyone to them. But their profiles are so special to the point where it was difficult to think a player remotely similar would ever come about again. On social media we’re so quick to label someone ‘The new x’ or ‘heir to y’ and many players have been banded the ‘next Pogba’ when in reality they’re just a fairly athletic and tall, midfielder of African origin.

But sometimes, the eyes don’t lie.

They aren’t an exact copies of the duo, but there are many parts of their game in which you can’t help but see it. The way Zabi uses the sole of his foot to dribble and loves to drift out to the left touchline (Pogba) and the way Inao Oulai wins the majority of his ground duels and eats up ground, despite being the smallest player on the pitch (Kante) - are callbacks to two of France’s greatest ever.

Like Pogba and Kante, they likely can’t play in a pivot to a high level together as it would be a waste of their talents. They are yet to feature together internationally, with Zabi yet to receive a call-up but having two players so young and promising at the heart of your nation’s midfield for the next decade must fill Ivory Coast fans with a great deal of optimism going forward.

Both players couldn’t be more different in terms of what they offer on the pitch, but the chance they were born in the same neighbourhood, only 5 months apart whilst being so similar to one of the greatest midfield duos we’ve seen this century…

Football might have just done it again.

Christ Inao Oulai and Patrick Zabi: First Yopougon and then the world

Leipzig's soaring attacking trident harkens back towards what once was