Issa Kaboré
A dynamic right-back who rose from Burkina Faso to become a Premier League champion with Manchester City and a continental star for his country.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Burkinabé footballer·Birthday: May 12·Generation Z
Biography
Issa Kaboré's journey maps the modern football pathway: from the academies of West Africa to the pinnacle of the European club game. Born in Bobo-Dioulasso, his talent was evident early, leading him to Belgian club Mechelen. His powerful, marauding style as a wing-back soon attracted the attention of Manchester City's scouting network, who signed him in 2020. While breaking into City's star-studded lineup was a challenge, he immediately became a loan asset, gaining crucial experience at Troyes in France and later at Marseille, where he thrived in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. His relentless energy and defensive grit made him a staple for the Burkina Faso national team, playing a key role in their surprising run to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals. A Premier League winner's medal with City in 2023 is a testament to his place within an elite system, even as he continues to forge his own playing identity on loan at clubs like Wrexham.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Issa was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Issa Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Issa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Premier League title with Manchester City in the 2022-23 season, making several appearances for the club.
- Played a pivotal role as a starting right-back for Burkina Faso, helping them reach the semi-finals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Established himself as a regular starter for Olympique de Marseille during a productive loan spell in the 2022-23 season, featuring in the UEFA Champions League.
- Named the Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year in the Belgian First Division B in 2020 while with KV Mechelen.
Did You Know?
He is the nephew of former Burkina Faso international footballer Moussa Kaboré.
Kaboré made his senior international debut for Burkina Faso at the age of 19.
He was part of the Manchester City squad that won the UEFA Super Cup in 2023.
His loan move to Wrexham in 2024 made him one of the most high-profile signings in the club's history, linked to their celebrity ownership.
“My focus is on the next tackle and the next match.”
