Anyone watching Soumaila Diabate on the pitch would recognise a tireless worker - a textbook defensive midfielder you could say. With his determination, challenging strength and sheer lack of fear for opponents or situations – he inevitably draws comparisons to one of his predecessors: Mohamed Camara. Anyone who meets Soumaila on a stroll through Salzburg's old town will discover a completely different side of the Malian though.

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He's a quiet young man who likes to avoid the limelight off the pitch - and seems almost shy. Posing for photos, our photographer elicits a friendly grin with a simple, "Smile, Soum!"

"I'm a simple, respectful person. I like to keep to myself, and I'm not arrogant. Above all, I believe that anyone who treats me with respect will always receive it in return." On the pitch, this reserve transforms into pure energy. It's this remarkable duality that distinguishes the 21-year-old.

I left everything behind to realise this dream.

From a big family to Bamako to solo in Salzburg

Soumaila grew up in the heart of Mali's capital, Bamako, surrounded by a large family of 20. It was a lively house where he grew up not only with his parents and four siblings, but also with uncles, aunts, and cousins. They weren't poor, but he describes their circumstances in retrospect as modest, which doesn't change the fact that he cherishes his childhood there: "I'm proud to be Malian. It's my father's country, my mother's country, my ancestors' country. My whole life is in Mali."

Football was a central part of family life from the very beginning, and he shares his strong sporting genes with his siblings, who also play a lot of football. His younger sister is even in the squad of the Malian women's national team and is currently preparing for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

The greatest footballing talent in the Diabate family was Soumaila, however. At just nine years old, he made it into the prestigious JMG Academy, where he lived in the boarding school during the week. “I only ever had football on my mind; there was no plan B. I wanted to be a footballer and nothing else.”

His father played a particularly formative role during this time, standing on the sidelines at every single match. “He was always there! He couldn’t come to watch training because he had to work, but he was at every one of my games, and afterwards we went home for the rest of the weekend before I had to go back to boarding school."

Leaving his homeland at the beginning of 2023 was, of course, a huge adjustment for Soumaila. “Naturally, I miss my family terribly. I came from Africa and I left everything behind to realise this dream that is so important to me. Everyone was so proud of me because I was the first in the family to sign a professional contract with a big club like Salzburg.”

Arriving in Europe was initially a leap into the unknown for the young Malian. “I came from Africa, I knew nothing about Europe or the language here. It took me three or four months to get my bearings, but after that things started to go well for me.” Moussa Yeo, whom he already knew from his home country, was particularly important, but fellow countryman Mamady Diambou and fellow African Karim Konate also played a big role in helping him to form social connections.

Ronivaldo wisdom in Linz

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After a year and a half at FC Liefering, the next test of the combative defensive midfielder's mettle came. He went on loan to FC Blau-Weiß Linz to gain his first Austrian Bundesliga match experience. It was a new environment and he didn't have the same contacts to Mali there. "But I met many nice people there too, who helped me a lot."

There was a time when I desperately wanted to score my first Bundesliga goal, and in certain situations, I tried too hard to force it.

In addition to his then-coach Gerald Scheiblehner, whom Soumaila cites as an important figure, the Malian player particularly highlights one teammate in Linz as his mentor:

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"Ronivaldo! He helped me a lot, gave me a lot of advice, and was always there for me. There was a time when I desperately wanted to score my first Bundesliga goal, and in certain situations, I tried too hard to force it." The experienced striker helped him maintain the necessary composure – a calmness that later served him well when he finally scored for us against LASK in August 2025.

His development last year culminated in moments that still seem almost unbelievable to Soumaila. He returned from Linz and suddenly found himself on the pitch at the Club World Cup, making his debut for our Red Bulls. “Since childhood, I’ve been a Real Madrid fan, and suddenly I got to play against them myself. There I was, standing on the field in America in that huge, packed stadium, realising that all the players I had previously looked up to were standing opposite me.”

As a child and teenager, he found inspiration primarily in those who shone in his position like Marco Verratti and N’Golo Kante, but also in the winning mentality of Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite his modesty, Soum has big sporting ambitions: "I want to win trophies, primarily with the club, but also personal ones, if I can. Winning the Africa Cup of Nations with my country is a big dream, as is participating in the World Cup and one day winning the Champions League. If Allah allows it, these dreams will come true."

It is this faith and deep connection to his roots that drive Soumaila, even though he still looks to the future with humility. Currently single, he would like to "get married and have children someday," as he shyly explains. But until then, he enjoys the peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle.

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After our stroll through the old town, he tells us he has nothing particularly exciting planned. The battle-hardy player, who never backs down on the pitch, unsurprisingly takes things easy in his daily life. "I'm going to get some sleep first, since we had a game yesterday and training this morning. After that, I'll call my family in Mali - we FaceTime pretty much every day - and maybe watch a series on Netflix. I'm currently watching 'The Night Agent,'" he tells us with that same warm smile he'd had to put on for the camera previously. It's the perfect ending for a man who knows exactly when it's time to fight and when it's time to just be the friendly Soumaila next door.

Soum's Way: A quiet fighter's heart and big dreams