46 balls recovered: Camara flies over Europe, but not (yet) with Senegal

First in the European Top 5 for recovered balls, second in L1 for successful tackles: the AS Monaco midfielder impresses at club level. But in selection, the picture is less bright.

Monaco hosts Toulouse this October 10, 2026 (6:45 p.m. GMT) for the 6th day of Ligue 1. The Monegasques, leaders (13 pts) have the opportunity to keep their place, and will be able to count on Lamine Camara, whose numbers speak for themselves. With 46 balls recovered, the Senegalese is the player who has won the most in the five major European championships this season, according to data relayed by Opta. In Ligue 1 2026/27, he is also the second best player in successful tackles, with 17.

This shadow work confirms the status of the Senegalese midfielder in Monaco, where he is, according to captain Denis Zakaria, one of the key players of the Monegasque club. Available in clubs, he is a leading recuperator.

Find the happy medium

However, the contrast is striking between his performances in Monaco and those in the Senegal national team. During the last international break, Camara was again mixed against Mozambique and Ethiopia (first two days of qualifying for CAN 2027), before being relegated to the bench against the Comoros in a friendly. The player knows how cruel the selection can be: during the 2026 World Cup, he was targeted by criticism after the elimination of Senegal against Belgium, at fault for the penalty conceded at the end of the match.

The equation therefore remains open for new coach Patrick Vieira: how to transpose, with Senegal, the defensive impact that Camara displays every weekend in Ligue 1? In Monaco, he recovers and restarts. With the Lions, he is still waiting to find this same regularity.

Oumar Boubacar NDONGO