For understandable reasons, Georges Mikautadze hogged the limelight at Metz last season. It was an engaging narrative with the Georgia international leaving at the start of the season, failing at Ajax before returning and almost proving to be the hero in Les Grenats’ fight against relegation. He may have been the protagonist in that story, which for Metz ultimately ended in relegation to Ligue 2, but he was far from the only rising star in that team.
Lamine Camara, the latest product of the prestigious Génération Foot in Senegal, certainly made his mark in his first season in Ligue 1, being awarded the Young Player of the Season at the end of the campaign. A workmanlike midfielder, a willing runner and intelligent distributor of the ball, he was also a creative force in that struggling Metz side, registering five assists.
He has never been lacking in confidence either, as evidenced by the goal he scored from his own half against his future side, Monaco. Shouldered by the experienced Denis Zakaria, Camara has been handed plenty of responsibility at the Principality club. With Youssouf Fofana and Mohamed Camara both departing over the summer, it was clear that whoever arrived would have a prominent role to play and big shoes to fill.
Camara retains CAF title
A more discrete player than Fofana but more progressive than Mohamed Camara, Lamine Camara has ensured a nice balance to this Monaco midfield. There is, at times, an overzealousness to Camara’s play, as evidenced by his seven yellows cards so far this season – no player in Ligue 1 has more. But given the way Monaco play and the way they commit bodies forward, at times leaving them susceptible in transition, they are reliant on Camara to be permanently conscious of his positioning, particularly in possession, and to be reactive to the opposition’s evolving movements. He has been just that.
“He is a very, very good player, very dynamic and with a great athletic capacity. He runs a lot and fills lots of holes. He is a great recruit for us and he’ll help us a lot this season […] playing alongside him makes your life easier,” said his midfield partner, Denis Zakaria earlier this season. The Swiss international has been imperious this season and Camara has played his own part in that. A facilitator for others, he is perhaps the most underrated element of his youthful, exciting and high-flying Monaco team. But he isn’t underrated entirely – he has been elected CAF’s Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive year after all.
