COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – With six goals scored in their first three games, the Colorado Rapids (1-1-1, 4 points) have been on a roll offensively. As the team’s newest striker, Yannick Boli is excited to get in on the action.
“I’m very excited to start the season with Colorado and win something,” Boli told Pro Soccer USA. “Everyone is treating me like I’ve been here a long time so I’m feeling good already.”
Boli, 30, signed with Colorado last month from Chinese club Dàlián Yīfāng, where he scored 16 goals in 24 games last season, helping that team earn promotion to the Chinese Super League. Having watched all the film, Rapids head coach Anthony Hudson is optimistic about what the French-Ivorian can add to Colorado’s attack.
“He’s a goal scorer,” Hudson said of Boli. “In front of goal, you can tell he’s got some quality.”
It should come as no surprise. As the nephew of former Marseille and French international defender Basile Boli, and former Lens striker Roger Boli, soccer is part of his DNA.
“Even if I didn’t want to play, that’s what we did in my family,” Boli recalls. “I grew up with a ball. While I was still in the womb, my mother was in the stadium, so I didn’t have any choice. My choice was to play soccer.”
“It was a dream for me to play in America, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
It didn’t take much convincing to come to Colorado, however. On the advice of friends and former teammates Jonathan Mensah (now with the Columbus Crew) and Portland Timbers defender Larrys Mabiala, Boli decided to take his own crack at Major League Soccer and life in the United States.
“They said it was great to play in America,” Boli said. “As soon as I got an invitation, I was there. It was a dream for me to play in America, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
Boli began training sessions with the Rapids last week and is still building fitness, but he could figure into Hudson’s plans as an attacking option off the bench in the coming weeks.
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“I think the biggest thing is right now he has some work to do physically,” Hudson explained. “Yannick needs a lot more work, especially at altitude.”
Added Boli, “I’ve been working each day to bring my level up and help the team. The altitude is difficult, but it’s good for me. It’s like a competition with myself and I have to work twice as hard to come back quickly.”
The product of Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy is itching to make some contributions.
“I’m here for coach and here to help the team,” Boli said. “We have a lot of strikers but the competition will bring out the best and help the team.”