Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr... Le crash de la nouvelle génération des Lions
When taking stock, there are many lessons to be learned from this 2026 World Cup: the leaders are not at the level of the team, the senior players lacked influence on the game, the technical staff was overwhelmed by the demands... But, among so many lessons, it is impossible to ignore the average performance of the leading figures of the new generation.
Hailing from Europe's biggest clubs, this new generation failed to establish itself during this World Cup and provide much-needed respite for the veterans. Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr, and Ibrahim Mbaye all underperformed. Often substitutes during the last Africa Cup of Nations, they had brought a youthful energy, speed, and dynamism to the team. At the World Cup, they were given more responsibility by coach Pape Thiaw. Lamine Camara started three of four matches in North America, compared to only two of seven in Morocco. Ibrahim Mbaye, for his part, never started at the Africa Cup of Nations before making a single appearance at the World Cup, without achieving the desired result.
Lamine Camara and Pape Matar Sarr fell short of expectations
In the game, Lamine Camara, expected to be Senegal's next great midfielder, was far from the level he displayed at Monaco. Often invisible, and at times inconsistent during his three starts, he completely missed the mark against Belgium after coming on as a substitute. He also lacked personality, disappearing during Senegal's weaker periods. These performances call into question his status within the national team, where he is touted as the successor to Gana Gueye and the future leader of the Senegalese midfield. To date, he is far from fulfilling that role.
There's also Pape Matar Sarr, a luxury substitute in midfield, whose decline has surprised many. Scorer of the goal that almost certainly qualified Senegal in Kinshasa, the midfielder is now a mere shadow of his former self. Relegated to the bench in a struggling Tottenham, he justifies his fall from grace with his performance against Belgium. Brought on by Pape Thiaw to maintain the scoreline, Sarr was too soft, notably on Lukaku's goal, where he misjudged his clearance. At 23, he's already searching for the form he showed a few years ago.
The Ibrahim Mbaye case: the question of his starting status
Ibrahim Mbaye's case is even more unique. While there's no doubt about his potential to be important and influential for Senegal in the coming years, the Parisian raises questions about his ability to be an undisputed starter right now. Dynamic and very strong on short passes, Mbaye struggled to break down a well-organized defense when he started against Iraq. Against a compact defensive block, his counter-attacking abilities were ineffective. This suggests that using him off the bench, when players are tired, defenses are stretched, and there's more space, isn't such a bad idea after all.
Whether with the current staff or a new one, adjustments will need to be made to find the right place for the new generation. A proper balance is necessary to allow tomorrow's leaders to fully assert themselves today.
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