Role models, awards, U20 AFCON… 9 things to know about Lamine Camara
He has arrived to boost the ranks of the Monaco midfield. Arriving from FC Metz where he has played since February 2023, Lamine Camara has become the second summer recruit for AS Monaco. The Senegalese box-to-box midfielder, renowned for his volume of play, is coming off a convincing season with a goal and five assists in 32 matches. Before seeing him play his first minutes with the Principality club, here are nine things to know about him. ✍️
The 17th player from Senegal at the Club 🇸🇳
By joining AS Monaco, Lamine becomes the seventeenth Senegalese in the history of the Club. He follows Ismail Jakobs and Krépin Diatta, who both arrived in 2021, and he also follows in the footsteps of Salif Diao (1997-2000), Souleymane Camara (2001-2005), Nampalys Mendy (2010-2013), Ibrahima Touré (2012-2013), Abdou Diallo (2014-2017) and Keita Baldé (2017-2018).
Football from the start ⚽
Born in Bignona in the South-West of Senegal, Lamine quickly got football into his skin. So much so that he started walking with… a ball at his feet, as he explained in an interview given to Ligue 1. Then by persuading his father to let him practice his passion, he began his training at Galaxy FA in Dakar then at Casa Sport in his native region, while being regularly promoted.
From the same academy as a Ballon d’Or runner-up 👶
His talent quickly caught the eye and the new Monegasque midfielder was spotted by a famous football school in the country: AS Génération Foot. Renowned for having produced Sadio Mané, second in the Ballon d’Or in 2022, he signed his first professional contract there. A partner club of FC Metz, the path was therefore clear for him to join the Lorraine club in February 2023, thus discovering Ligue 2 and then Ligue 1 last year.
Three idols at his position 👨🏫
In an interview with a Senegalese media outlet, Lamine revealed this time that he had three role models in his position: Kevin de Bruyne, Toni Kroos and his compatriot Idrissa Gueye, having been inspired by the latter since he was little. Ironically, it was on one of his assists that the former Metz player scored his first goal for the national team against South Sudan during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November 2023.
He’s already scored at the Stade Louis-II 🏡
If he has therefore opened his account on international duty, in Ligue 1 he had done the same a few weeks earlier, on the pitch… of the Stade Louis-II. Despite a 2-1 loss for his side, the midfielder made an impression by scoring a goal from 58 metres, the fourth furthest in the championship since Opta began analysing the competition (2006-2007), unsurprisingly winning the goal of the month award for October.
LE BUT DE 𝟱𝟴,𝟰 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗦 DE 𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗔 🇸🇳🤯#ASMFCM I @FCMetz pic.twitter.com/NZMroorriC
— Ligue 1 McDonald's (@Ligue1) October 22, 2023
Named “Pépite of the season” for 2023-2024… 💎
This October is one of all promises since he also won the “Pépite of the Month” trophy. He then manages to confirm this new status throughout the rest of the season, earning him the title of “Pépite of the Season”, a distinction awarded by Ligue 1 and based on public voting. Impressive with his volume of play in midfield, he also delivered five assists in 32 appearances.
🇸🇳 @Lamine_Camara15 est élu #PepiteDeLaSaison 💎 pic.twitter.com/5KMz6cRNLJ
— Ligue 1 McDonald's (@Ligue1) June 13, 2024
Rewarded in the footsteps of Osimhen and Hakimi 🏅
In his country’s youth teams, Lamine revealed himself during the U20 Africa Cup of Nations. Voted best player of the competition, the central midfielder allowed Senegal to be crowned champion by showing himself to be decisive with a double in the semi-final and a goal in the final. These great performances also earned him the title of young African player of the year, succeeding among others Victor Osimhen, Achraf Hakimi or Pape Matar Sarr.
An international teammate of Krépin and Izo 🫂
At AS Monaco, some faces will certainly be very familiar to him since he will reunite with two teammates from the Lions of Teranga: Krépin Diatta and Ismail Jakobs. The three players notably participated together in the last AFCON where Senegal was eliminated in the round of 16 by Côte d’Ivoire of… Wilfried Singo. Before that, Lamine had scored twice against Gambia in the group stage, notably with a sublime strike into the top corner.
A card to watch on EA FC 🎮
The last point finally concerns all EA Sports FC 24 aficionados. With an overall rating of 71, it has an impressive 79 in speed. But the most significant point is undoubtedly his potential which rises to 83, enough to make you want to buy him and make him grow in the heart of your midfield.
