Aguibou Camara is one of the young talents of the AFCON 2023. The young midfielder is blossoming with the Syli national. We take a look back at a kid who, from an early age, was promised a bright future.
The Guinean midfielder played a full match against Cameroon (1-1) on the first day of the AFCON 2023, and repeated the feat the following day. Scorer of Guinea's winning goal against Gambia (1-0), Aguibou Camara is flourishing in Kaba Diawara's line-up.A reward for a youngster who was promised a bright future from an early age. Mohamed Lamine Bangoura, commonly known as "Pascal", a former classmate of the midfielder, describes the character. "He was a quiet person. In class, he went unnoticed. As time went by, he started to be absent and a lady who was teaching us pointed this out," explains his classmate.
A difficult childhood, soccer as an escape
The young midfielder had a difficult childhood. A dramatic event changed the course of his life. When he was in the fourth year of secondary school, Aguibou lost his father. A tragedy that plunged the player into a difficult situation. "He lost his father when we were in the third grade. It was a shock for him. From then on, his absences were so frequent that he ended up dropping out of school to devote himself to soccer. That's where it all started," reveals Pascal, a classmate of the Guinean international.
Star of his school thanks to soccer
The young boy, who was in the crosshairs of his supervisors due to his repeated absenteeism, nevertheless attracted attention to soccer. To the point of becoming a celebrity in his school. During an inter-school tournament, Aguibou was going to blow everyone away."We were supposed to take part in an inter-school tournament. But with so many students absent from school, some didn't want him to take part in the tournament," explains his classmate. When he took part in the tournament, which he dazzled with his talent, everyone was talking about him. He made a name for himself and became the star of the school and the tournament," reveals Pascal.
Guinean League 1 at 16
In the streets of Conakry, his name invaded the neighborhoods like wildfire. He was recruited by the Daye voyages academy in Ratoma. From there, things accelerated. At just 16, he was thrown into the deep end of the Guinean Ligue 1 by Yelato Silué, then coach of the Eléphants de Coléah. His dazzling performances put major clubs such as Horoya AC and AS Kaloum to the sword.His performances earned him a place in Guinea's junior national team in 2017. In this group, he flourished and took part in the AFCON U17, where Guinea finished third.
A few months later, he also made the trip to the World Cup, where Guinea was eliminated in the first round. He nevertheless played in all three group matches. From that tournament onwards, the player progressed rapidly.He progressed through all the national team categories up to senior level.
Spotted by Luis Campos' teams at a tournament in Morocco in May 2018, he initials an agreement to secure his signature at Lille a year later, at the age of his majority. He made his professional debut in a French Cup match against Dijon on February 10, 2021.At the end of the season, Lille are French champions.
"He's a boy, but he can be explosive sometimes.
Yelato Silué his coach who launched him in Guinea's Ligue 1 is just 16 years old, describes the boy."He's a very talented young player. Despite his small stature, he was technically gifted from an early age. Even then, he was important to us," he recalls. He's a very wise boy but sometimes explosive. When I was in charge of the first team, he was with the reserves. But as soon as I saw his talent, I brought him into the first team. There was an altercation between me and the team management. Being very young, they didn't want him to play regularly with the first team. I opposed this. I said either he plays or he stays with the reserves. In the end, he worked wonders in Ligue 1. After that, he moved on to Europe and the youth categories with the national team, and now the senior Syli," reveals the coach.
The AFCON, the Renaissance
The 22-year-old prodigy, who was eagerly awaited for the Can in Cameroon in 2022, missed out on the tournament. It was a failure that helped him grow, he says. "In Cameroon, I missed out on my tournament. That experience helped me to grow. Now, with age, I've matured", explains the midfielder.
Having made a fine start to the season for Atromitos, Aguibou Camara has been selected as one of Kaba Diawara's 25 players for the AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire. A regular in all three group matches, the midfielder was even named man of the match against Gambia, where he scored the only goal. One of the Guinean side's great satisfactions of the tournament so far, the midfielder is aiming even higher."I want to send Guinea as far as possible.It's a mission we've set ourselves," promises Aguibou Camara.
For Yelato Silué, the young player's determination and courage mean his future looks bright."I knew he could go very far.He had the potential and the desire. This tournament is just the beginning.I hope his manager will make sure he finds a club to join more prestigious leagues such as England or Spain".
Formerly linked with clubs such as Liverpool and Newcastle, the Guinea international intends to use the AFCON 2023 as a springboard.
Aguibou Camara and his coach Yelato Silué, who launched him in Guinea's Ligue 1.
