El Bilal Touré: Africa has seen acres of development over the years with regards to Football. The word Africa in the context of Football is usually synonymous with icons such as Didier Drogba or Samuel Eto’o. With roots in Mali and ambitions that reach for the stars, El Bilal Touré is a name that looks set to be engraved on those walls of pomp and glory.
This article briefly covers the biography and meteoric rise of the Malian workhorse, who goes by the nickname “Elbi.” To further acuminate your hunger and curiosity, we will also be shedding some light on details apropos to his family, religion, relationships, lifestyle, and so on.El Bilal Touré
El Bilal Touré Family
At the time of writing this, details about his family are not known. He is reported to have a few siblings but their names and other credentials remain unknown.
Ethnicity
He is of Malian descent but spent a big portion of his childhood and adolescence in Ivory Coast. He currently represents the country of his ethnic origins, Mali, on the international stage.
Religion
He is a devout Muslim. He is often seen posting religious quotes on his Twitter and even made the pilgrimage to Mecca, a holy site for the adherents of the Islamic faith.
Marital Status
He is unmarried as we speak. There are no particulars pointing to his past relationships and dating history.
Childhood
He was born on the 3rd of October in the suburbs of Adjame, Ivory Coast to Malian parents. He is reported to have lived in a large family under one roof, in line with traditional Malian familial structures. His childhood wasn’t exactly a difficult one as it wasn’t marred with economic distress, which is usually a common theme in some of the breathtaking biographies of African Football players.
He began playing football at a very young age and would always be seen out in the neighborhood with his buddies in Brownian pursuit of a ball. To almost no one’s surprise, he used to look up to Cristiano Ronaldo and tried to incorporate modules of his style of play into his own.
Kindling A Dream
Elbi marked the beginning of his tedious journey to the very top of Football when he joined Ivoire Académie in 2012, a local football school in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He would always impress his gaffers and the on-lookers every time he used his raw strength or scored an absolute screamer. He trained with them for a few more years till he finally resolved to look for a new chapter elsewhere. Ivoire Académie took to Instagram when Elbi scored against Barcelona as a form of tribute to their shining alumni.
In the year 2017, he moved to Mali and joined Afrique Football Elite, where he spent another three years. His talent coupled with hard work and determination always had him in the good books of scouts from Europe. He was offered a contract by Stade de Reims and unable to contain all that buzz and excitement, he gave them the green light without any contemplation. His transfer was announced and sealed in the winter of 2020 and he was given his share of the plaudits by Afrique Football Elite on this resounding success of his.
The Descent of Blessings
2019 was a year full of surprises, we saw Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League Final, and that in and of itself is a very strong indicator of it. However, for Elbi, it was his breakout year as he bagged the U20 African Cup of Nations with Mali and made his senior debut a few months later. He placed the cherry on top when he would go on to score on his debut.
A good run with Stade de Reims had him in the crosshairs of many clubs in France and Spain. At last, it was UD Almeria who formally procured his services for the Central Forward position in the summer of 2022. Despite finishing 17th in the league, he still managed to put up good numbers, and given that he was only 22, the future wasn’t looking bleak for the Malian. Links to top clubs in Europe were still circulating and it was Everton in particular who were in pursuit of his ministrations up front as they lacked a formidable, cutting-edge striker following the departure of Richarlison in 2022.
However, there was another club looking to fill the void caused by the departure of their star striker. It was Atalanta who signed him for €30m to compensate for the offloading of Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United. What’s interesting to note is that there were no conspicuous communications between the two camps.
Lifestyle and Personality
While it may be the case that a lot of players make compromises when it comes to their lifestyle, Elbi on the other hand, takes a no-nonsense approach to football. He follows a strict workout routine and has incredibly muscular legs to show for it. Furthermore, he avoids partying and stays aloof from nightlife in concordance with his religious beliefs.
A reflection of a portion of his personality can be deciphered from his dressing. He seems to have a good sense of fashion and regularly posts pictures featuring him posing in lavish apparels.
Some Fun Facts about El Bilal Touré
- His transfer to Atalanta for €30m is the club’s most expensive purchase
- He has never represented the Ivorian National team at junior level despite spending 15 years of his life there
- Scored against Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona in the same season
- He was promoted to Reims’ first team after playing just two games for the B team
- He doesn’t have an agent and is an affiliate of King Sport Agency. They handle all his transfer negotiations and delegations
