Chelsea ProdigyTo Play In Africa Cup of Nations

One name to keep your mind on for the future is 16-year-old Bertrand Traore who has been named in Burkina Faso’s Africa Cup of Nations squad.

The midfielder joined Chelsea’s Academy in 2010 after impressing at the Under-17 World Cup, won his first full cap in a friendly against Equitorial Guinea in September and could now become the third youngest player to appear in the African finals.

The record was set at the 2000 tournament by Ghana’s Shiva Star Nzigou, who was 16 years, two months and 30 days old when he faced South Africa in Ghana.

If Traore plays in Burkina Faso’s opening group game against Angola on January 22 he will have missed the record by two months.

Burkina Faso’s second match is against the Ivory Coast, which could mean the teenager playing against Chelsea strikers Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou.