May 30 – Just when Manchester United’s dismal campaign seemed unable to sink any lower, they suffered a humiliating defeat to a Southeast Asian XI in Kuala Lumpur – and watched their brightest talent make headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Amad Diallo, 22, was photographed making an obscene gesture toward fans outside the team hotel, with the incident quickly going viral across social media platforms. The Ivory Coast international, who has emerged as one of United’s few sources of optimism during a season plagued by embarrassing results, found himself at the center of unwanted attention.
United moved swiftly to defend their prized asset, explaining that the gesture was a reaction to “serious personal abuse” directed at his family. Amad himself took to social media to clarify his position: “I have respect for people but not for the one who insults my mum. I shouldn’t have reacted like that but I don’t regret what I did.”
The incident has sparked widespread speculation about the underlying cause of his explosive reaction. Reports suggest Amad was particularly incensed by supporters repeatedly shouting ‘Traore’ at him – a surname he deliberately distanced himself from years ago for deeply personal reasons.
The name controversy stems from a dark chapter in Amad’s early life that reads more like a thriller than a typical football biography. In 2020, authorities investigated allegations that both Amad and his older brother, Hamed Traore – now plying his trade with Auxerre in France’s Ligue 1 – were central figures in an elaborate child trafficking operation.
The investigation revealed how five adults allegedly orchestrated the brothers’ illegal entry into Italy using fraudulent family visas, exploiting loopholes in the system to smuggle the young prospects into European football. The scandal sent shockwaves through the football world, raising uncomfortable questions about how far some would go to exploit talented youngsters from Africa.
When Amad reached his 18th birthday, he made the significant decision to legally drop the Traore surname entirely – a symbolic gesture aimed at creating distance from the controversy that had overshadowed his early career. His brother Hamed, meanwhile, retained the family name, taking a different path as he carved out his own professional journey in French football.
For Amad, the name represents more than just family heritage – it’s a reminder of a traumatic period that threatened to derail his dreams before they truly began. His visceral reaction to fans chanting ‘Diallo’ suggests the wounds from that ordeal remain raw, despite his meteoric rise through United’s ranks.
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