Souleymane Camara (born 22 December 1982) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is a former Senegal international and has represented his nation at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2002, 2006, and 2012.[1] As of 2021, he holds the record of the most appearances for French club Montpellier, with 433, and is the club's second-highest goalscorer, with 76 goals.[2]
 Camara playing for Montpellier in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Souleymane Camara | ||
| Date of birth | 22 December 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Dakar, Senegal | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2001 | Monaco | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2005 | Monaco | 59 | (7) |
| 2004 | → Guingamp (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2005–2008 | Nice | 31 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | → Montpellier (loan) | 37 | (11) |
| 2008–2020 | Montpellier | 347 | (59) |
| Total | 487 | (80) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2012 | Senegal | 35 | (7) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career edit
Camara was influential in Montpellier winning their first ever Ligue 1 title in 2012, scoring 9 goals, including one goal in a crucial 2–0 victory over Rennes with two matches left in the season.[3][4][1]
On 5 August 2017, Camara scored the only goal in Montpellier's 1–0 win against Caen on matchday 1 of the 2017–18 season. It was his 48th Ligue 1 goal for Montpellier and made him Montpellier's record scorer in Ligue 1, breaking Laurent Blanc's 26-year-old record of 47 Division 1 goals scored for Montpellier in four seasons.[5]
In March 2019 he became the first player to score in 15 different seasons in France's Ligue 1 in the 21st century.[6] In May 2019 he extended his contract with Montpellier for a further season.[7]
In May 2020, it was announced that Camara would not extend his contract with Montpellier, and would retire at the end of the season.[8] By the end of his Montpellier career, Camara played a club-record 433 games in all competitions during his 13-year stay with 76 goals scored – a record bettered only by France legend Laurent Blanc.[1]
Honours edit
Monaco
Montpellier
Senegal
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2002[10]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Souleymane Camara: Senegal striker ends 13-year spell at Montpellier". Goal. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Statistique des Pailladins | MHSC Foot , billetterie Montpellier Hérault, mhsc match, match Montpellier, led publicitaire, panneau publicitaire led". www.mhscfoot.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ "Rennes vs. Montpellier 0 - 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "How Montpellier beat PSG to win the French title". BBC. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- ^ "Montpellier win it for Nicollin". www.ligue1.com. 5 August 2017.
- ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (18 March 2019). "Senegal's Camara first player to score in 15 Ligue 1 seasons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ Okeleji, Oluwashina (7 May 2019). "Senegal's Souleymane Camara extends Montpellier deal again". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Montpellier : Souleymane Camara va arrêter sa carrière". L’équipe (in French). Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "Monaco, tête couronnée". eurosport.fr. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- ^ Copnall, James (11 February 2002). "Cameroon 0 - 0 Senegal (aet: Cameroon won 3 - 2 on penalties)". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
External links edit
- Souleymane Camara at Soccerway
- Souleymane Camara at National-Football-Teams.com
