Senegal’s next big thing: Lamine Camara

It’s rare to see a team storm to a tournament success as conclusively as Senegal did at last year’s Under-20 AFCON tournament. They beat Nigeria 1-0, Mozambique 3-0, Egypt 4-0, Benin 1-0, Tunisia 3-0 and Gambia, in the final, 2-0. Fourteen scored, none conceded.

The star man was midfielder Lamine Camara, who was inevitably named the player of the tournament. That month, he moved from Senegal to France, signing for Ligue 2 outfit Metz. They were promoted at the end of the campaign, where he’s been a regular.

Busy when trying to win back possession, but calm and collected with the ball, Camara is potentially a true all-rounder. He dribbles forward sharply from the midfield zone, slaloming past challenges on the break. He’s developed a reputation as a dangerous set-piece taker, whipping balls into the box with his right foot. He hasn’t yet developed into a creator or a regular goalscorer in Ligue 1, but for Senegal’s youth sides he has shown composure. He scored the third in a 4-0 World Cup qualification victory over South Sudan in November, whipping the ball across the goalkeeper into the top corner. He also scored twice in Senegal’s 3-0 win over Gambia on Monday.

Camara has a serious chance of becoming a major star, and this could be his breakout tournament. Less than a year after being the best performer at the under-20 version of the AFCON, Camara is now ready for the real thing.