Abdoulaye Kamara: Youngest 3. Liga player one step ahead of his development

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Abdoulaye Kamara was always one step ahead in his development. In the summer of 2019, the midfield talent made the jump from the U17 to the U19 at Paris Saint-Germain as a 14-year-old. Just one year later, head coach Thomas Tuchel gave him 16 minutes in the test match against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard (1:0). Tuchel's successor Mauricio Pochettino also called up Kamara to the first team, and then in the first leg against Bayern Munich (3-2), he made the matchday squad.

It is, therefore, not surprising that PSG would have liked to sign Kamara, who they considered one of the biggest talents in the club, to a new long-term contract. But there was no agreement reached, and the native of Guinean opted to leave the club and head to the Bundesliga instead. It is a common path for many players developed by PSG. Christopher Nkunku, Moussa Diaby, Tanguy Nianzou, and Dan-Axel Zagadou all were developed by PSG and now play in Germany.

The latter gave Borussia Dortmund a significant advantage in their pursuit to sign Kamara. BVB's reputation for developing talents and providing them an opportunity to play at a young age gave them an opportunity to sign Kamara. Just weeks before the transfer, Kamara's teammate Soumaïla Coulibaly opted to join the Black and Yellows. BVB players license department director Sebastian Kehl described Kamara as a highly talented player before signing him to a long-term contract.

Talents Calendar Day 24: Abdoulaye Kamara

"Kamara has been compelling among his age group," Klaus Pablo Torgau from the project BVBJugend said, comparing the player to Gladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria. "He has a great technique, is dynamic, and has great vision, all needed to be a classic central midfielder. In particular, at the highest European youth level, Kamara, who has not yet played for any junior national team, has shown that he is one of the standout talents in what is a very complex position."

BVB talent Kamara convinces with his flexibility and sets record in 3. Liga

His physical strength and speed are two obvious skills, but he also stands out as a flexible player. "He can also play a few other positions, for example, as a wing-back in a 3-5-2 or even as a right-winger," Torgau said about Kamara, who has also played as a center-back.

It is not a major surprise that the talented midfielder spent the preseason with BVB's first team, set a new record, and has already won a title. Aged 16, nine months, and seven days, Kamara became the youngest player in Germany's 3. Liga (third division) in BVB II's 5-2 victory over SC Freiburg II when he was brought on three minutes before the end of the game. Three months later, Kamara won the NRW-Pokal with the U19, beating rivals Schalke (2-0).

Since October, Kamara, who could also play for the U17, has been a regular for the U19 and has made seven short appearances in the third division. "He did very well," head coach Marco Rose said when asked about Kamara's development ahead of the season. But the club wants to take his time with the talent. "He now regularly plays for the U19 and is not supposed to move too much between teams. I think that is important and good for him. We decided to give him a permanent home." Rose, however, also praised Kamara. "He is strong in 1-v-1 situations and a strong midfielder from whom we expect much. I am excited to see what comes next."

BVB fans should be excited. The midfielder has already left a strong impression at various levels. "It will be interesting to see where Kamara will play next season," Torgau said. "The 3. Liga would be an excellent stepping-stone, and in Axel Witsel, one player, who currently plays on Kamara's position, will leave the club next summer, which could open the door for an academy player."

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2004. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.