ðə mˈɪdfiːldɚɹ ˈɜːnd ɡlˈoʊɪŋ ɹᵻpˈoːɹts ˈæftɚɹ ɐ pˈɑːzᵻtˌɪv pɚfˈoːɹməns æt ðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɪks wˈɜːld kˈʌp, wˌɪtʃ ɐlˈɜːɾᵻd ðɪ ɐtˈɛnʃən ʌv mˈɛni fɹˈɛntʃ lˈiːɡ klˈʌbz, ænd pɹˈɑːmptᵻd ðə nˈɪkneɪm ðə tˌɑːɡoʊlˈiːz zˈɪdeɪn ɔːɹ ðə ɡɹˈeɪt ʌvðə fˈɪɡjɚɹ ʌv ˈeɪt fɹʌm hɪz kəmpˈeɪtɹɪət ɪmˈænuːl ɐdˈɛbeɪɚ, dˈuː tə sˈælɪfˌuːz plˈeɪmeɪkɪŋ nˈeɪtʃɚ.
The midfielder earned glowing reports after a positive performance at the 2006 World Cup, which alerted the attention of many French league clubs, and prompted the nickname the 'Togolese Zidane' or 'the great of the figure of eight' from his compatriot Emmanuel Adebayor, due to Salifou's playmaking nature.