Having become a "key player" at Monaco, Lamine Camara wants to defeat France at the World Cup and dreams of a title with Senegal

Monaco welcomes back Lamine Camara for their trip to Toulouse on Saturday (9:05 PM). The Senegalese international midfielder returns from suspension. A key player for ASM since last season, he is expected to face the French national team this summer at the World Cup, which he approaches with high ambitions.

With only one point from their last two matches, Monaco's final sprint has stalled. For their trip to Toulouse on Saturday at 9:05 PM, ASM will be able to count on the return of their star player, Lamine Camara.

“He doesn’t get the recognition he deserves,” emphasizes his experienced teammate Lukas Hradeck. “Since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) , I think he’s one of our best players. Denis Zakaria plays regularly in defense, but the midfield is doing very well, and Lamine Camara is one of our key players in our climb up the standings. It’s a pleasure to see him on the pitch and in the locker room. He has character and is a great player for us.” At 22, and after a meteoric rise, the Senegalese international is universally acclaimed.

"Honestly, it all went too fast for me!"

Trained in Senegal, Lamine Camara joined the prestigious Génération Foot academy in 2019 before making the big leap to Europe in 2023. “Frankly, it all went too fast for me! In two years, I left Senegal, went from Metz to Monaco, and played in the Champions League, which I had dreamed of since I was a little boy,” he confides.

Talented and hardworking, the ASM number 15 has established himself as an undisputed starter in the eyes of his coach, Sébastien Pocognoli. "He has worked very hard. When I arrived, he was injured, but when he returned to training and to the starting eleven, we immediately felt his impact. He trains every day like a true professional. He is an ambitious player with great qualities," says the Belgian coach.

Among these qualities is a powerful shot that earns him the team's set pieces. His right foot first showcased its talent at the Stade Louis-II in October 2023. Then playing for Metz, Camara scored a 58-meter lob before signing a five-year contract with Monaco a few months later.

The last Africa Cup of Nations "does not give a good image of football"

Combative and hardworking, the Diouloulou native is bursting with energy. Sometimes too much, as evidenced by his rough tackle on Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Chevalier at the start of the season. Nevertheless, his qualities have made him a key player for his national team. “He has become a big name in his country. He is learning to take this next step. But he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations with the same humility, the same thirst for work,” observes Pocognoli .

“We did everything we could to win this trophy,” Camara recalls, but “I wouldn’t say we’re proud because it doesn’t give a good image of football .” His captain, Denis Zakaria, remains nonetheless full of praise: “What Lamine Camara is achieving this season is incredible! He already showed us that last year. He’s a fantastic player with a great career ahead of him.” Indeed, some of Europe’s biggest clubs are courting him, but Camara is focused on the coming months, which promise to be crucial in his football career.

"We have everything we need: experience, youth... Everything to win the Cup!"

Lamine Camara played in all of Senegal's matches during the last Africa Cup of Nations. He is expected to play in his first World Cup this summer (June 11 - July 19). The Monaco midfielder remembers the last edition and the Lions of Teranga's round of 16 match against England: "I was watching Génération Foot, I watched it on TV with my friends, it was historic."

But now it's his turn to write his country's history. "Right now, we are ready to face any team. We believe in it with all the talent we have in Senegal. We have everything we need: experience, youth... Everything to win the Cup! We have to be ambitious and why not go and get this trophy," he says.

To begin their World Cup campaign, Senegal will face France , the adopted country of Lamine Camara. He might cross paths with his teammate Maghnes Akliouche there : "Sometimes we tease each other in the locker room or during training. When I hit him, I tell him: 'Get ready for the World Cup'."

Maxime Tilliette