Kalilou Traoré, former Mali international, dies in road accident

Former Mali midfielder Kalilou Traoré died at age 38 in a road accident on 24 July 2026. Traoré earned 16‑17 caps for the Mali national team, scoring once and helping the squad win the bronze medal at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. During his club career he played for Wydad Casablanca, NK Istra 1961 in Croatia, OB Odense in Denmark and FC Sochaux‑Montbéliard in France, where he made 11 Ligue 1 appearances between 2012 and 2014 before retiring in 2014 after a knee injury. FC Sochaux publicly expressed deep sadness and offered condolences to Traoré’s family. His death has been described as a major loss for Malian football and for the clubs where he left a lasting impact, especially Istra 1961, where he was instrumental in the team’s promotion to the Croatian top tier.