Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté has opened up about a light-hearted but motivational exchange he once had with teammate Hugo Ekitike — one that perfectly captures his leadership spirit.
Speaking in an interview with Canal Plus, Konaté recalled how he once gave Ekitike a bit of a “wake-up call” during their training camp.
> “There was a day after training when we were meant to hit the gym,” Konaté said. “Training had been really intense, and he was exhausted. He told me, ‘I’m shattered, I can’t do it.’”
Rather than letting it slide, Konaté decided to push him.
> “I looked at him for a moment and said, ‘Do you want to play for the France team or not?’ — then I walked away,” he laughed. “A minute later, he showed up in the dining hall ready to go.”
That small but powerful exchange clearly paid off. Since his move to Liverpool, Ekitike has broken into the French national team, earning four appearances in World Cup qualifiers and providing an assist along the way.
💪 A little motivation from Konaté seems to have gone a long way!
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