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Only Manchester City<\/a>‘s Erling Haaland has eclipsed Brentford<\/a>‘s Brazilian striker Igor Thiago’s 11 goals<\/a> in this season’s Premier League, while Ouattara has also played an important role by scoring three times and winning four penalties \u2013 the most of any player in the division.<\/p>\n Burkina Faso international Ouattara is now poised to feature at a third successive Afcon, where he will hope for a greater impact after an injury restricted him to one start during his country’s run to the last 16 in 2023.<\/p>\n While at French club Lorient, Ouattara was part of the Stallions side which beat Gabon on penalties<\/a> to reach the quarter-finals in 2021 and scored the only goal in their surprise win over Tunisia<\/a> in the last eight, although his late dismissal in that game ruled him out of their semi-final defeat to eventual champions Senegal.<\/p>\n “There are people who have been here much longer and who have played at more Afcons, who are more experienced than me,” said the 23-year-old.<\/p>\n “There are some playing their first Afcon, some their second. Everyone has a role to play.”<\/p>\n One member of the Burkina Faso squad who has a key role is Sunderland<\/a> forward Bertrand Traore, the Stallions skipper.<\/p>\n The 30-year-old is approaching 100 caps for his country and Ouattara says his quiet authority is important.<\/p>\n “If he has something to tell you, he’ll tell you. If there’s something you could correct, he’ll try to get you to correct it.<\/p>\n “He’s someone who is calm. He speaks when he has something positive to contribute. If it’s not necessary to speak, he won’t.”<\/p>\n Ouattara could face former Bee Mbeumo as early as the last-16 stage in Morocco, with Brentford<\/a> midfielder Frank Onyeka’s Nigeria potential opponents later in the knockout stage.<\/p>\n