Lamine Gassama
Encyclopedia
Lamine Gassama is a Senegal
ese football player who plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais
in Ligue 1
.
n descent, Lamine grew up in the commune
of Castellane
in the city of Marseille
and began his career playing for FC Martigues
, just north of his hometown. After spending two years in the youth system
, he returned to Marseille and joined local club Aubagne FC
. There, he caught the attention of Olympique Lyonnais
and joined the club's academy
the following year.
, Gassama was promoted to the first-team squad participating in Lyon's pre-season tour. He appeared in all five matches including starts against Nîmes Olympique
, Rapid Bucureşti, and AS Nancy
. On 2 September 2008, it was announced by Lyon that Gassama had signed a professional contract keeping him with the champions until 2011. He made his professional football debut on 29 October 2008 against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
starting in the right back position. The match resulted in a 2–0 victory with Gassama playing the full 90 minutes.
Gassama made seven league appearances, and also made his debut in the UEFA Champions League
starting Lyon's final group stage match against Bayern Munich
, with his primary responsibility being to contain fellow Frenchman and the much more experienced Franck Ribéry
. The matchup, in the end, was unquestionably in Ribéry's favor, as Lyon lost the match 2–3 with the French talisman being involved in two of Bayern's goals and Gassama being substituted out in the 64th minute.
squads. However, due to his performances with Lyon, he received a surprise call-up to the under-21 squad
, who were looking to start fresh after their elimination from the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
, for a friendly against Denmark
. He made his under-21 debut in that match starting the match in the right back position before being subbed out in the 82nd minute. France would go on to win the match 1–0.
In May 2011, it was confirmed that Gassama would be representing Senegal at senior international level. He made his debut on 10 August 2011 in a 0–2 friendly home defeat against Morocco
.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese football player who plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
.
Early career
Of GuineaGuinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n descent, Lamine grew up in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Castellane
Castellane
Castellane is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
in the city of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and began his career playing for FC Martigues
FC Martigues
FC Martigues play in the Championnat National, which is the third level of football in France. The club was formed in 1921 and played regional football until the early 1970s when the club gained promotion to the professional Second Division.The club's greatest achievement was winning promotion to...
, just north of his hometown. After spending two years in the youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
, he returned to Marseille and joined local club Aubagne FC
Aubagne
Aubagne is a commune located east of Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.The French Foreign Legion has its headquarters there...
. There, he caught the attention of Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
and joined the club's academy
Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy
The Olympique Lyonnais Reserves & Academy are the reserve team and academy of French club Olympique Lyonnais. The reserves squad play in the Championnat de France amateur division, the fourth division of French football and the highest division the team is allowed to participate in. Lyon have won...
the following year.
Lyon
Before the start of the 2008–09 seasonOlympique Lyonnais season 2008-09
The 2008–09 season was Olympique Lyonnais's 50th anniversary season inLigue 1 and was their 20th consecutive season in the top division of French football. They were the defending champions having won the title the past seven consecutive seasons...
, Gassama was promoted to the first-team squad participating in Lyon's pre-season tour. He appeared in all five matches including starts against Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique
Nîmes Olympique is a French association football club based in Nîmes. The club was formed on 10 April 1937 and currently play in Championnat National, the third level of French football. The club's only achievement was winning Ligue 2 in 1950 and the Championnat National in 1997...
, Rapid Bucureşti, and AS Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
. On 2 September 2008, it was announced by Lyon that Gassama had signed a professional contract keeping him with the champions until 2011. He made his professional football debut on 29 October 2008 against FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
starting in the right back position. The match resulted in a 2–0 victory with Gassama playing the full 90 minutes.
Gassama made seven league appearances, and also made his debut in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
starting Lyon's final group stage match against Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
, with his primary responsibility being to contain fellow Frenchman and the much more experienced Franck Ribéry
Franck Ribéry
Franck Ribéry is a French international footballer who currently plays for German club Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. He primarily plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and is known for "pace, energy, skill and precise passing." Ribéry is described as a player who is "fast, tricky and...
. The matchup, in the end, was unquestionably in Ribéry's favor, as Lyon lost the match 2–3 with the French talisman being involved in two of Bayern's goals and Gassama being substituted out in the 64th minute.
International career
Gassama made no appearances with any of France's youthFrance national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
squads. However, due to his performances with Lyon, he received a surprise call-up to the under-21 squad
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
, who were looking to start fresh after their elimination from the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
, for a friendly against Denmark
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
. He made his under-21 debut in that match starting the match in the right back position before being subbed out in the 82nd minute. France would go on to win the match 1–0.
In May 2011, it was confirmed that Gassama would be representing Senegal at senior international level. He made his debut on 10 August 2011 in a 0–2 friendly home defeat against Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup Coupe de France The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation... |
League Cup Coupe de la Ligue The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Olympique Lyonnais Olympique Lyonnais Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The... |
2008–09 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Ligue 1 The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated... |
6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Ligue 1 The 2010–11 Ligue 1 season was the 73rd since its establishment. Entering the season, Marseille were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 21 May 2010 and the season began on 7 August and ended on 29 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 23 December and 15 January 2011... |
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Career Total | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |