Soccer
Learn how Amadou Haidara made the grade at RB Leipzig – and why the Malian midfielder models himself on Steven Gerrard.
To watch RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara play football can be a tiring experience, for keeping up with the energetic 24-year-olds movements is a never-ending task.
The Mali international is constantly chasing and pressing his opponents, buzzing around the midfield with such speed and determination.
He’s become a crucial cog in the Leipzig machine and his performance levels have risen steadily since moving to Germany in December 2018.
Continue reading to learn how the player known as Doudou progressed from playing on the streets of Bamako, why his role model is Steven Gerrard – and why he fits right in at RB Leipzig.
I learned almost everything in Salzburg before joining RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga
01
His mother is his biggest supporter
Doudou comes from Bamako, where he learned his trade on the streets before a move to the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy, a renowned soccer school with branches all over Africa that developed players like Yaya Toure and Gervinho.
“We used to play right after school,” he says. “When I was 10, the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy approached my parents telling them I had some talent. They wanted me to join the academy. My father was not OK with this at all. At this time, he didn’t even know I played football.”
Doudou’s father wanted his son to focus on school, but his mother persuaded him to let their son join the Academy.
“My mother knew everything,” he says. “She was aware I was always late after school because of football. She supported me to join the academy and convinced my father, and that means everything.”
02
He started his pro career at Red Bull Salzburg
Doudou progressed through the youth ranks of the Academy, and a few years later, in 2016, he was scouted by Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg, where he went on to make 48 appearances in two years, forging a formidable reputation for himself along the way. Then, in 2019, RB Leipzig came calling.
“I learned almost everything in Salzburg before joining RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga,” he says. "I grew up step by step there, and that’s where I learned the philosophy.”
I feel at my best when I’m in position 6 or 8 in midfield.
03
Steven Gerrard is his role model
“He was a fighter, a captain who never gives up,” says Doudou of the former England midfielder, who famously inspired Liverpool’s astonishing second-half comeback in the Champions League final against AC Milan in 2005. “When I was kid, I used to watch all his Premier League games. He was so intense – and that’s what I want to show on the pitch as well. He inspired me a lot.”
Doudou is, of course, still a long way from emulating Steven Gerrard’s achievements. But his surging runs, a keen eye for goal and a willingness to get stuck into the tackle means comparisons with Gerrard might not be too wide of the mark.
“I feel at my best when I’m in position 6 or 8 in midfield,” says Doudou. “But last season the coach used to put me a bit everywhere. I wanted to show him he could trust me in any position, and that helped me a lot.”
04
In Leipzig, it’s all about football
Doudou is fluent in German and is settled into the Leipzig way of life. “Football is really my whole life,” he says. “Leipzig is a good environment for young players – I can stay focused and make progress here.”
The Malian midfielder admits he still has other passions away from football, though, saying, “Sometimes I watch films and have fun with friends on PlayStation.”
05
He’s a bona-fide Bundesliga star
Doudou is fast becoming a mainstay of Leipzig’s midfield and his performances are improving with every game he plays – but he’s quick to point out that there are a lot of areas where he can improve.
“I’m still gaining maturity,” he explains. “After three seasons here, I know the league very well and how to express my skills.”