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Ballou Tabla PHOTO: Matt Zambonin/Freestyle Photography/CPL
Five Beautiful Ballou Moments
January 25, 2023
Ballou Tabla Merci Ballou

Atlético Ottawa forwards Ballou Tabla has joined Manisa FK on a permanent deal after a stand-out season in the Canadian Premier League.  As we bid farewell to the dazzling 23-year-old, let’s take a look back at some of his stand-out moments, both on and off the pitch, during his time in the Canadian capital.

Moment 1:

Ballou Tabla swaps Montréal for the Canadian capital as he signs a three-year deal with Atlético Ottawa, becoming one of the best players to have ever played in the league.

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Moment 2:

With six-goal contributions already under his belt, Ballou’s breakout performance in front of an electric TD Place crowd came in August as the players (and fans) battled against the elements in a victory over FC Edmonton. The 23-year-old bagged a brace and his iconic celebration in front of ‘The Dub’ was born.

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Moment 3:

Stunning performances on the pitch didn’t hinder Ballou’s ability to shine away from the soccer field as well. Atlético Ottawa’s partner Shelter Movers Ottawa, an organization dedicated to helping families flee abuse, welcomed volunteer Ballou as the special guest at the organization’s gala in October.

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Moment 4:

As the business end of the season approached, the weight behind each point earned against playoff rivals increased. With this in mind, Ottawa travelled to Calgary in the knowledge that a win would secure their first-ever appearance in the CPL playoffs and, within four minutes, Ballou delivered a moment of magic that was seen all around the world. Simply stunning.

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Moment 5:

A player for the big occasion, travelling to Victoria, BC to face off with defending CPL champions Pacific FC in the playoffs could be a daunting task for the most experienced of players. The 23-year-old, however, never looked fazed as he finished off a devastating counter-attack, scoring Atlético’s first playoff goal.

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Ballou’s magic may no longer be on display in the Canadian capital, but everyone at the club is eagerly waiting to see the talented forward excel in Europe.

Merci, Ballou and good luck.