Sporting Kansas City II has signed 21-year-old forward Boubacar Traore on loan from Budapest Honved, the club announced today. Traore will be officially added to the SKC II roster pending league and federation approval, along with the receipt of his P1 Visa.
Traore joined Budapest Honved ahead of the 2020-21 OTP Bank Liga season, scoring four goals and adding one assist across 22 appearances in all competitions for the club split across league play, Cup matches and UEFA Europa League Qualifying.
Notably, Traore had the game-winning goal in extra time against Finnish team FC Inter in the First Round of Europa League Qualifying last August, while he also tallied the game-winning assist in a 2-1 league victory over Budafoki MTE in December.
The San, Mali native spent the earlier portion of his burgeoning career in Africa. He tallied six goals and one assist in 16 games while representing CA Bizertin in the Tunisian top-flight in 2019. Traore began his career in his native Mali with Stade Malien in the city of Bamako before moving to Tunisia ahead of the 2019-20 Ligue Professionnelle 1 season.
On the international stage, Traore represented Mali at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring once in the group stage against Saudi Arabia as Mali advanced out of the group behind France. In the Round of 16, Traore converted his penalty kick as Mali defeated Argentina in a shootout following a 2-2 draw before falling to Italy in the Quarterfinals.
Mali had qualified for the U-20 World Cup as champions of the 2019 U-20 African Cup of Nations. Traore scored Mali’s lone goal in the final of the tournament against Senegal, before converting his penalty in the shootout as Mali won 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Sporting KC II returns to action tomorrow night when the team plays host to Atlanta United 2 at Children’s Mercy Park. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
VITALS
Boubacar Traore
Position: Forward
Born: 12/14/1999 (21 years old)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 155 lbs.
Hometown: San, Mali
Birthplace: San, Mali
Citizenship: Mali
Instagram: @mbinketraore
