Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate delivered a dominant performance for France in the 1-4 UEFA Nations League away victory over Israel. Konate played alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba in France’s defence and conceded only one goal from a well-build move by Israel.
The 25-year-old has played a pivotal role for Liverpool alongside Virgil van Dijk during the early stages of the season. Liverpool have won nine out of their first 10 games in all competitions under their new head coach Arne Slot.
The Reds have conceded only four goals in those 10 games, sitting at the top of the Premier League table. Konate faced criticism for his struggle with form last season under former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp which proved very costly.
Liverpool crashed out of multiple major trophies during the 2023-24 season due to the late dip in the team’s form. Konate has also struggled with nagging injuries and fitness issues since signing for the Reds from RB Leipzig in 2021.
Nevertheless, the French international has continuously developed as a formidable defender and earned the trust of the fans and staff. Konate has established himself as an important player at Liverpool this season, improving massively in his ball-playing abilities alongside defending.
According to the SofaScore, the 25-year-old made one interception and one tackle during his performance against Israel on Thursday afternoon. The Frenchman won two out of his four ground duels and made 100% successful dribbles from the backline, showing composure.
Konate made 83 touches and boasted 96% passing accuracy from 80 passes, including three successful long passes from five attempts. He made one key pass during the game, showcasing his ball-playing ability and capacity to dictate the game from defence.
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Konate has a pivotal role to play for the Reds once the club football returns after the October international break. Liverpool will face tough opponents during the congested fixture period in both the Champions League and the Premier League.
