EXCLUSIVE One on one with Adama Traore

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Albeit those lines are from the old television series "The adventures of Superman", they describe Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Adama Traore with more or less factual accuracy. His out-of-this-world body strength accompanied by outstanding stamina and speed makes this Spanish player of Malian origins rather unique player in the modern-day game.

In an exclusive interview for Mozzart Sport Kenya, the 25-year-old winger claims, to our disbelief, that he never does weight-lifting!?

"No, really, I don't do weight-lifting at all. The day I start doing them, I'll be much bigger, "explains Traore smiling. 

"When I began doing exercises at a very young age, I decided to work strictly with my own body. And every time I work, I do that in movement. Doing weights in the gym wouldn't help me on the pitch. Because when I play, the game is moving all the time, so I have to move. To do my job, I have to move correctly and preserve my explosiveness. 

"Yes, my genetics also helps me, but the gym is essential. The same applies for boxers - if a boxer is doing weights, he has to do this simultaneously with throwing punches. And this is basically similar. Because for me, it's crucial to have a balance. When I see I'm getting a bit bigger, I try to change the exercises, "adds he.

EXCLUSIVE Bertrand Traore interview for Mozzart Sport Kenya: I am not the best player in my family

Traore was born in Barcelona in 1996, so it's no wonder his footballing role models were none other than Blaugrana's two maybe greatest players ever - Ronaldinho and Messi.

"When I was still a schoolboy, we would get tickets for Camp Nou, and I was delighted for having a chance to see Ronaldinho. He was amazing! I always enjoyed watching him. Every time I saw him, he was so happy. Not talking only about the happiness he transmitted to other people, but he was always happy for himself too, especially with the ball. It was magical.

"He's the one, of course, with Messi, who made me fall in love with the game. He showed you could love football, enjoy playing and be at a high level at the same time. He changed everything; before Ronaldinho arrived, Real Madrid were much better, winning everything, and Barcelona were sad, "stresses out Traore, mentioning Luis Nazario de Lima Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo as the two other top-class players he admires the most. 

EXCLUSIVE Jorginho for Mozzart Sport Kenya: Tuchel has changed us, now we are in control of the game

Once he left his homeland, Spain, and came to cold and windy England in 2015, Traore had to adapt as quickly as possible because the change was humongous.

"Oh, yes, here it's cold, the weather is unstable, the dinner is at 7 PM, and I used to eat at 9 or 10 PM in Spain. Here, life is spent more at home, inside, unlike Spain where everything is happening outside. So, it was a massive change for me, but in the end, English football is impressive; it's a part of the culture. And for me also, it's essential to meet new cultures, adapt, learn how people live and think, wheater it's a tradition of drinking tea or something else.  

With that said, his attitude to improving himself also on the pitch on a daily basis doesn't seem strange at all.

"I am playing better and better. During the season, I have changed positions, playing as a striker, winger and wing-back. Even if I played the best season of my life, I wouldn't tell you I was 100 per cent happy with my performances. My mentality pushes me to work hard every day, to improve. 

"If people see the quality in me, this motivates me and makes me think - Ok, I have to work hard every day, today more than yesterday because if everyone sees something good in you, you can do it.   

"I did create more chances this season than the last year. Of course, you don't materialise all those opportunities, but that's football, and the ball sometimes just doesn't want to go in. However, that's how I want to play and create as many chances as possible for my teammates."

This season has been difficult for everyone due to injuries and coronavirus affecting the entire campaign. The Wanderers are no exception...

"We had different injuries, faced problems, but we have adapted, and we kept fighting. The team's mentality is really good; whoever we meet, we fight and want to win. It doesn't matter who are we playing against and what happens on the pitch; in the beginning, we fight until the end. There were games when we were trailing before turning things around and winning. Sometimes things don't go the way you planned, and you have to keep fighting, "concludes Adama Traore for Mozzart Sport Kenya.

By: NEVEN CVIJANOVIĆ, Sport Klub TV reporter