“Had to be better”
Footballer nominated for Africa Cup of Nations – even though he is half blind
12/16/2025 – 8:34 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
Georgi Minoungou’s name is also on Burkina Faso’s squad list for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. He only became a national player this year – despite a handicap.
Georgi Minoungou knew how to use the big stage last summer to his advantage. The 23-year-old took part in the reformed Club World Cup with the US club Seattle Sounders. And even though Minoungou only played a total of 30 minutes in the games against Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, it had a lasting effect on his career.
“This tournament made me known because the MLS (football league in the USA, editor’s note) is not always followed closely – the games often take place late at night,” said the 23-year-old in an interview with the African Football Confederation CAF. “But everyone could watch the Club World Cup.” The world discovered his game, said Minoungou – and the Burkina Faso association acted quickly.
Minoungou, who was born in Ivory Coast, has represented the country from West Africa as a national player since September. Since then, the offensive player has played four games for coach Brama Traoré’s team. The coach recently nominated him for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. “This is a childhood dream that is now coming true,” said Minoungou happily. The dream seemed to have burst not so long ago.
In August 2022, Minoungou moved to the USA from Czech second division club MFK Vyskov. The young African signed up for Tacoma Defiance, the reserve team of the Seattle Sounders. A year and a half later he was given the chance to prove himself in the first team. Minoungou was allowed to travel to the training camp in Marbella, Spain. But then an eye infection put him out of action.
“After a few training sessions, I noticed that my eye was swollen and itchy,” he told the SportBible portal in June. Although he didn’t think anything bad was happening, he still told the team doctor. A specialist then advised that we observe the whole thing for a few days. “But it got worse, much worse. After three days my eye was full of blood,” Minoungou said. Shortly afterwards it also changed its color. “It turned black, then red. After two weeks it was completely white.”
An emergency operation was subsequently intended to save Minoungou’s eyesight. But the damage could no longer be repaired. “The nerves in my left eye were completely dead,” Minoungou recalled. The reason for this remained unclear. However, the doctors told the now half-blind athlete that he would probably never be able to play football again. According to Minoungou, his world collapsed.