Happy in the fast lane

Caution is advised as you enter Zuzenhausen on the way to the TSG Hoffenheim training ground, because drivers coming from both Hoffenheim and Meckesheim are monitored by speed cameras in a 30 km/h zone. Bazoumana Touré would have set off their sensors with his top speed: he clocked more than 36.2 km/h in the match away to Borussia Mönchengladbach, which is a speed record for a TSG player – not only this season, but in general. The 19-year-old is showing what the management promised he would: speed, runs in behind – and hopefully plenty of goals in the future.

The Ivorian is regarded as a top talent and caused a stir in Sweden last year. He registered 13 goal involvements in 23 appearances for Hammarby IF, his first club on the European continent. Out of his comfort zone and into a Scandinavian adventure. "I was only 18 years old when I moved to Sweden," reflected Touré, before continuing: "Above all, I had to adapt to the weather, which made me very tired at the beginning. It is light all day in the summer, but in winter there's almost no light at all. And when it's cold in Sweden, it's really cold," said the now 19-year-old with a shy smile.

It is only really on the football pitch that the attacking player, who was born in the vicinity of the Ivorian capital of Abidjan, comes into his own. Off the pitch, he comes across as reserved and you realise how young he still is. At the same time, he is good-natured and his broad smile is endearing. Those characteristics ensured he was accepted very quickly following his arrival in the Kraichgau last winter – by the team and staff alike.

"He's a great guy, it's fun to play with him"

Andrej Kramarić on Bazoumana Touré

A player who holds the pacey Ivorian in high regard is Andrej Kramarić. TSG's record goalscorer, who finished off two assists from Touré in the match against 1. FSV Mainz 05 (2-0), is full of praise for the talented youngster. "He's a great guy, it's fun to play with him," said the Croat of his new team-mate, who does not only have the TSG legend's support in public. "Andrej keeps a close eye on me, also in training," said Touré, who has found a mentor in Kramarić. "He tries to show me a lot of things and to explain how I can become an even better player." But Touré does not allow his own personal performances to take precedence; he is more concerned about the team. "It's great when people like Andrej see that and praise me for it."

Touré left his homeland and his family behind when he moved to Europe in March 2024, with only his advisor accompanying him from Africa to Europe. However, there is more contact than ever: "I speak to my parents on the phone every day and I'm also in contact with my siblings more or less on a daily basis." It is a task that can last the entire evening for Touré, who has five sisters and one brother, who also plays football and dreams of a move to Europe. Bazoumana is the middle child, with three older and three younger siblings. His parents instilled a faith in him that has accompanied him all the way to Hoffenheim. "They told me that it always helps to believe in God and that praying helps you along in life," Touré said.

He grew up in a small village not far from the capital city of Abidjan, which is the fifth-largest city in Africa in terms of population, and started playing football at an early age. He looked up to Yaya Touré, Ivorian football's top star, who is no relation by blood or marriage despite having the same surname. "The surname is very common in the Ivory Coast," he said with a laugh when he was asked about it.

The 19-year-old is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his eponymous role model and have some big moments in his career. "When you come from the Ivory Coast, playing in the World Cup is always a dream, but the desire to play in the Champions League one day is equally important for me." His favourite club is FC Barcelona, having received a shirt of the Catalan club as a child. "But without printing; in the Ivory Coast, people are simply happy to get a shirt like that from Europe."

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Soft spot for far-east films

One of Bazoumana Touré's great passions can be observed from a cursory glance at his Instagram profile. The Ivorian is depicted as a cartoon character in his profile picture; the 'Ghibli' style is not only a current trend on social media, but also a part of Touré's everyday life. The 19-year-old is a big fan of Japanese anime series and films, which are known for their drawings with large eyes and wide-ranging colour palettes. "It has now become a ritual for me to always watch an episode of an anime series both before and after a game," explained Touré, who went on to make a recommendation. "My favourite anime is Naruto, but that's a real classic and is known worldwide. At the moment, I also like watching Solo Leveling, a film adaptation of a novel originally from South Korea."

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He stood out in matches involving the country's top academies and completed a transfer at the age of 12 to the academy of record champions ASEC Mimosas, who have developed almost all of the Ivory Coast's top stars. He was already good enough for the first team at 16 years of age, quickly establishing himself as a regular player and winning the league title too. The offers from Europe piled up. "It was suggested to me that a move to Sweden would be the right step for me," said Touré, who turned down offers from supposedly bigger names to make the move. "RB Salzburg also wanted to sign me and the club have an excellent reputation in Africa as a springboard in Europe, but I had better prospects of immediate gametime at Hammarby and that was the decisive factor for me."

And so he moved to Stockholm, where he not only had to get used to the new climatic conditions, but also to something he previously had very little experience of: peace and quiet. "Abidjan is always hectic, always busy. Sweden, on the other hand, is calm and relaxed. It was a good environment for my first move outside of Africa."

Now he wants to take the next steps in Hoffenheim. The level is "much, much higher" than in Sweden, but his breakthrough was just as quick as it had been in Sweden and previously in the Ivory Coast. First as a substitute, then consistently in the starting line-up between matchdays 27 and 33. The second half of the season was not easy for TSG, nor was it for a young player finding his feet. But he wants to go on the attack next season. Once again, of course, at the highest-possible speed.