Ibrahima Konate explains his nickname in first interview as a Liverpool player | OneFootball

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is currently training with his new team-mates at the Reds’ pre-season camp in Austria.

The young Frenchman joins the Premier League giants with a big reputation as one of the most exciting talents on the continent.

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Liverpool supporters on social media will have seen a few things from Konate already, from anime references to full-on pyro parties in France.

But there may be a little confusion for some surrounding his nickname of ‘Ibou’ – which the big man has now explained in an exclusive interview with Liverpoolfc.com.

Asked if there is a name he’d like Reds fans to call him, Konate said: “Yes, ‘Ibou’ because when I was young, every time my mother would call me ‘Ibou, Ibou’.

“When I was on the first day in Leipzig, she was with me and she would say every time, ‘Hey, Ibou… Ibou… Ibou…’ and Ralf Rangnick asked, ‘Why ‘Ibou’?’

“So, I said it was my nickname because every time my mum would call me that every time and my family too. He said, ‘OK, now it’s Ibou’ and afterwards everyone would call me it.”

“Ibou” Konate training with his Liverpool team-mates

In truth, it’s not the biggest surprise to learn Ibrahima was shortened down to ‘Ibou’ by Konate’s mother – and he adopted it.

We also suspect Zlatan Ibrahimovic would have something to say if a young lad on the scene started calling himself ‘Ibra’!