From Senegal to Phoenix Rising, Mohamed Traore and Pape Mar Boye talk about their journey

“I was learning something about [Traore]. I think that made me grow more,” Boye replied.

“Learning from the game because if you are here,” Traore said. “It’s because of all the work you’ve put in from the academic in Senegal.”

The two split when moving to the United States; Traore attended Montverde Academy while Boye would join soon after Traore graduated.

Traore would then win his first professional trophy with Rising in 2023, and the year after, Boye joined the club. The two friends would reunite in the Valley of the Sun. However, they have international goals to achieve outside of Rising.

“We both have a dream about playing [on] our national team,” Boye said.

“Representing your country is a big privilege. Not everybody [gets] the chance to have,” Traore adds. “But we [are] still working hard and waiting for our time.”