Turning Dreams into Reality: The Life of David Datro Fofana

One fateful day, David Datro Fofana made a wish to the god of football, expressing his desire to play for Chelsea. He was just a kid at the time, far from proving himself worthy of a call from Chelsea. To most, his wish seemed like a typical dream. Little did Fofana know that his desires would become reality within six months.

Indeed, the power of words is profound! This article tells the story of an Ivorian talent who not only dreamed of playing for his hero Didier Drogba‘s club but also dedicated himself to hard work, turning that dream into reality.

This article delves into David Datro Fofana’s biography, offering more than just his career aspirations. It reveals his humble beginnings in childhood, his early years filled with dreams, and the unwavering support from his parents, especially Valerie Datro Mahi (his mother). It explores his family background, roots in Ouragahio, his personality, lifestyle, and more. Without delay, let’s uncover the essence of David Datro Fofana’s journey.

Preamble:

Our version of David Datro Fofana’s Biography begins by telling you notable events of his youthful years before fame.

Next, we’ll tell you how his football began at the Ivorian grassroots level. Then, finally, we’ll explain how the Ouragahio starlet achieved a rise in the beautiful game.

We hope to increase your taste for autobiographies as we engage you with reading David Datro Fofana’s Biography. To start with, let’s present a gallery that explains the early life and rise of the former Molde star.

Without a doubt, this Athlete from Ouragahio has been through a remarkable journey.

When you first noticed he was an Ivorian Striker who joined Chelsea, did he remind you of anyone? Yes, you’re probably thinking of Didier Drogba. Truly, not many fans know the Ivorian wonderkid earned recognition with Molde, the very club that brought Erling Haaland fame.

In the course of writing about footballers from Côte d’Ivoire, we found a knowledge gap. The truth is, not many fans have read a detailed version of David Datro Fofana’s Biography, which is very exciting. So, without taking any further of your time, let’s get started.

David Datro Fofana Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, the Capricorn-Ivorian Striker arrived in the world on the 22nd day of December 2002 in Ouragahio, Ivory Coast.

Early Life:

Like many other African kids, David Datro Fofana started playing football in the local streets of his hometown. Fofana was shared in the Ouragahio streets, and he knew nothing like going to a football academy. In other words, his talent came from the streets and not a football school.

In the town he grew up (Ouragahio), street football has been a golden tree. A place where hundreds of poor Ivorian kids found shade and solace away from their troubled childhood realities.

Back then, Datro and his friends were forced to learn how to be physical, have ball technique and perform good finishing. The reason is that they played with tiny goalposts, and every kid had to be very accurate in order to score a goal.

Like many of his childhood friends, Fofana excelled through the ranks of street football before accepting to play professionally with a football club in Abidjan, his country’s capital. We’ll explain his experience of making that professional football switch as we progress in his Bio.

David Datro Fofana Family Background:

To start with, his upbringing is similar to that of many African footballers who come from poor homes. David Datro Fofana is a talented footballer who comes from a very humble background. Today, he has helped his family to rise above living in the lower income bracket.

David Datro Fofana’s Parents, notably his mother, is the most vocal when it comes to matters relating to his career. She, who goes by the name Valerie Datro Mahi, attracted media attention following her son’s £10m transfer to Chelsea.

It all started when Fofana’s former club, Abidjan City, reported both Chelsea and Molde FK to FIFA following his transfer to January 2023 transfer. The club asked FIFA to suspend the £10m transfer fee claiming that Fofana was fraudulently signed by Molde FK.

Abidjan City club claimed that Molde FK stole their player (Fofana), and the club connived with Valerie Datro Mahi (the Striker’s Mum) to do that. We’ll explain more of this section of our story as we progress with the Ivorian’s Bio.

David Datro Fofana Family Origin:

The Football Prodigy has Ivorian nationality, and results from our research show he is from Ouragahio. Interestingly, where David Datro Fofana’s Parents come from is the birthplace of two popular Ivorian Football players. These persons are Serge Aurier and Franck Kessié.

In the 2014 Ivory Coast census, the persons in the sub-prefecture of Ouragahio were approximately 36,364. Now, here is a map showing where David Datro Fofana’s family comes from (his hometown).

David Datro Fofana Ethnicity:

To start with, our odds are in favour of the Athlete belonging to the Akan Community tribe of Côte d’Ivoire. Akan, which is David Datro Fofana’s ethnicity, consist of  37.1% of Ivorian citizen. The ethnic group has around 20 million persons residing in both the Ivory Coast and Ghana.

David Datro Fofana Education:

There exists a lack of documentation which relates to the Athlete’s schooling. However, what is known is that Fofana prioritised his football career over his education. He did that, knowing full well that a soccer career was the best path to financial stability for himself and his family.

David Datro Fofana Biography – Football Story:

In the beginning, online reports show that he joined Abidjan City Soccer Club as a minor. Claims exist that his admission into the club was a bit controversial. According to Valerie Datro Mahi, his Mum, she did not sign the agreement. But the club (Abidjan City) claimed she authorized it.

With zero traces of him having an academy career, the Ivorian starlet progressed from street football to playing for Abidjan City. As a talented street footballer who aspired to become a pro, David Datro’s main selling point became his creativity and technical skills.

Despite the advantages he possessed as a street footballer, the youngster faced the difficult and competitive process of his new professional football world. Fofana pushed himself beyond limits, and he found the mental toughness to handle the pressures and demands of professional football.

Developing a great work ethic, good attitude and the will to learn and improve helped Datro to stay afloat in his senior career. Thanks to that, AFAD Djékanou, an Ivorian football club based in Abidjan, noticed and decided to sign him on loan in the year 2019.

Road to Fame Story:

The Ivorian Future star got more playing time and made use of every opportunity to shine. Playing for a good club like AFAD has lots of advantages for young players. One of which is the fact that the club often give many youngsters that rare gateway to reach Europe.

Thanks to his ever-increasing rise, Fofana got heavily scouted by Norwegian, French, and Belgian clubs. Before his eventual move to Europe, his parent club (Abidjan City) called him back from his loan move on the 30th of June 2020.

About six months later, after the COVID global restrictions, Abidjan City FC approved selling Fofana to the Norwegian club Molde. The Ivorian, alongside a Swedish striker named Björn Sigurdarson, became the only two foreigners who arrived at the club in that winter transfer season.

David Datro Fofana Biography – Rise to Fame:

Surprisingly, after joining Molde FK in 2021, the youngster even moved into the apartment that Erling Haaland once occupied. And it took no time before Fofana’s destiny with the club was known that he was a Striker bound to follow in the footsteps of Erling Haaland.

It is pertinent to state that Molde FK was where Earling Haaland played his football before his departure to Red Bull Salzburg. Also, Ole Gunnar Solskjær was the coach of this club between 2011–2014 and 2015–2018.

In Norway, Datro became the footballer who was never afraid to test goalkeepers whenever he got a pocket of space in attack. With a powerful right foot, Fofana scored lots of goals, and that skyrocketed him into becoming one of Europe’s brightest attacking prospects.

Following his instant rise, there came rumours that he was ready to embark on the next phase of his young career. For the youngster, it was more about remaining focused and helping the Molde become Norwegian champions. And yes, he won the club’s Eliteserien trophy and the Norwegian Cup.

The Journey to England:

Once upon a time, David Datro Fofana jokingly made a statement about his desire to play for Chelsea FC. But little did he know that the west London club would need his signature six months later. Yes, Graham Potter‘s Chelsea signed Fofana after he helped Molde with 24 goals and 10 assists.

Fofana’s arrival at Stamford Bridge came after striker Armando Broja’s injury saw him getting ruled out for the rest of the 2022/2023 season. Borja’s injury left Chelsea with Kai Havertz, Joao Felix, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Chelsea’s only No nine options.

Chelsea fans hold high hopes that Fofana’s football skills will equip him well to handle the challenges of Premier League football. And with the Blues signing of Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, it just got better. The rest of David Datro Fofana whose stats are on the rise, is now history.

Love Life:

Having arrived in Europe at 19 and winning and winning Eliteserien and Norwegian Cup within a season, it is right to say that he is en route to a successful career.

Ask Sebastien Haller, and he will tell you that behind every successful African footballer comes a glamorous woman. To this end, we ask the ultimate question;

David Datro Fofana’s Girlfriend?

An enquiry into knowing who the Emerging Ivorian talent is dating.

As of January 2023, the time of putting up David Datro Fofana’s Bio, he appears not to have made his relationship life public. A look into his social media account reveals no trace of anybody who could be his girlfriend or wife-to-be.

David Datro Fofana’s Parents (notably his mother) would likely have advised him to remain that way. As noticed by most young footballers (with few exceptions like Andrey Santos and Ismaïla Sarr), keeping their relationship status hidden is crucial to avoid media distraction in the early stages of their careers.

Personality:

When it comes to dribbling with the ball, Fofana emulates two persons. They are; Ronaldo de Lima and Ronaldinho. And when it comes to scoring goals, the Athlete from Ouragahio looks no further than Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the area of making changes in directions, David Datro learns from football’s GOAT, Lionel Messi. Then, finally, when it comes to using his physicality (holding off defenders with his body), he looks at the side of the almighty Zlatan Ibrahimović.

Despite mentioning the above-named footballers (both active and retired), Fofana’s all-time favourite will always remain Didier Drogba. He remains a huge admirer of the Ivorian Legend, a reason why he supported Chelsea even before joining the club.

David Datro Fofana Lifestyle:

Getting to know how the Ouragahio Athlete spends his money will help you get a clear picture of the things he likes. A very obvious lifestyle element here is David Datro Fofana’s car. As noticed here, the Blues’ Striker appears to be a fan of the Range Rover.

There is likely to be a reason why David Datro may be drawn to the Range Rover car. The car has a brand reputation for exclusivity and luxury – a reason why Ilaix Moriba and Conor Gallagher love it.

David Datro Fofana Family:

The Ivorian Striker, who comes from a humble background, often rely on the support of his loved ones as he pursues his professional football dreams. This section explains more about the role of the Athlete’s family members, especially Valerie Datro Mahi, his first love.

David Datro Fofana’s Mother:

Valerie Datro Mahi has a strong interest in sports and has gained knowledge in the football business. She was fully aware of her son’s needs at the time David Fofana (then a minor) joined Abidjan City FC in 2016.

Valerie Datro Mahi and Molde FK were once accused of not carrying the club (Abidjan City) along during her son’s January 2023 transfer to Chelsea.

In reaction to the accusations that came up during her son’s transfer from Molde FK to Chelsea, Valerie made her stand known.

According to reports, she denied that David (her son) did not sign any football agreement with Abidjan City FC in the first place. In fact, Valerie Datro Mahi claimed that her son wasn’t formally attached to Abidjan City.

Reacting to her statement, the club, who awaited a FIFA resolution on the matter, gave their views. Abidjan City claimed that Valerie Datro Mahi and some officials from the Ivorian Football Federation were the ones who approved the sale of Fofana to Molde in the first place.

Because of this issue, Abidjan City’s club President, Marco NE Taddei, wrote to FIFA and got feedback from the football body. As I write this Bio, the FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber has looked into the issues and is yet to make its stands known in the dispute between Abidjan City and Molde FK.

David Datro Fofana’s Father:

Unlike his wife (Valerie Datro Mahi), he chose to stay away from public attention, thus making little or no documentation about him. But what we know is the fact that David Datro Fofana’s Dad, including his wife, Valerie, both have Ivorian ancestry.

Siblings:

There are numerous persons Fofana calls his big brothers; however, little is known if these persons are related to him. While we know not about the existence of a sister, this is the person David Datro refers to as his big brother.

Untold Facts:

In the final phase of David Datro Fofana’s Biography, we’ll tell you truths you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.

David Datro Fofana Salary:

Using Capology Algorithms, which rely on a network of insiders involved in contract negotiations, we found that the Athlete earns £30,000 per week with Chelsea.

When this money is converted into local Ivorian currency, we have 22,186,506 francs. By implication, Fofana makes more than a billion yearly (1,155,473,276 francs).

How Rich is the Blues Striker from Ivory Coast?

Where David Datro Fofana’s Parents come from, the average person living in the country’s capital city (Abidjan) earns 262,000 XOF per month. According to the Salary Explorer website, this amount equals to 3,144,000 francs annually.

Judging by Fofana’s £1,562,400 or 1,155,473,276 francs – Chelsea annual salary, it means the average person working in Abidjan would need more than a lifetime (367 years) to make his yearly salary with the Blues. This shows how rich a footballer the Chelsea Athlete is.

David Datro Fofana Religion:

Ivorian professional footballer bears the second most mentioned name in the Bible (David), and that leaves us to conclude that he is a Christian. Unlike Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka, Datro Fofana is not the type of footballer who publicizes details of his faith on social media.

EndNote:

Thanks to the presence of a football king in his country (the person of Didier Drogba), Datro has been a Chelsea fan since childhood. He, like many of his countrymen, was a huge admirer of Ivorian and Blues Legend, a man who once stopped a civil war in Cote D’Ivore.

David Datro Fofana was born on the 22nd day of December 2002 to his Mother, Valerie Datro Mahi and a relatively unknown father. His birthplace is Ouragahio; Ivory Coast is 92 kilometres from Oume, which is the home of another Chelsea Legend, Salomon Kalou.

Football for Fofana began at the street level. The youngster played street football until the age of fourteen before joining Abidjan City. After becoming a professional footballer, he accepted a loan move to Amadou Diallo Football Club in his Ivory Coast homeland.

In 2021, Fofana’s dream of reaching Europe became past. He joined the Norwegian club Molde after briefly playing for Abidjan City. The youngster, who stayed in the former home of Erling Haaland, exceeded expectations at his new club.

At a relatively young age of nineteen, Fofana boasted of great football starts, like 34 goal involvements in 65 appearances for the Norwegian club. And his 24 goals and 10 assists helped Molde to win the Norwegian Cup and the Eliteserien trophy.

Thanks to the above success, Datro Fofana began to attract lots of interest from European clubs who fought for his signature. Speaking to Norwegian media outlet TV2, the Athlete once wished to play for Chelsea. Little did he know that he would be in the Blues’ books six months later.

Appreciation Note:

Thank you for taking the time to read our version of David Datro Fofana’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver the History of Ivorian Footballers. Fofana’s Bio is part of our wider collection of African Soccer Stories.

Please reach out to us via comment if you find anything that doesn’t look right in our article about the Ivory Coast Emerging talent. Also, let us know what you think about this Baller whose pace, skill and strength look very similar to that of Nicolas Jackson and Jonathan David.

Aside from our content on David Datro Fofana’s Bio, we’ve got other interesting Chelsea and Ivory Coast Footballers that will interest you. From a Blues point of view, the History of Lewis Hall and Denis Zakaria will excite you. And from an Ivorian point of view, you might find great delight in reading the story of Eric Bailly and Nicolas Pepe.