Ilay Camara

An international for the Senegal national team, Ilay Camara was born on 18 January 2003 in Belgium. Pre-selected for this year’s World Cup, the 23-year-old full-back plays for RSC Anderlecht, the club where he came through the youth ranks. Previously, at the senior level, he played for RWDM Brussels and Standard Liège. He is currently sidelined with a foot fracture and is expecting to be out for two months.

Ilay Camara is a mesomorphic player of below-average height – he stands at 1.74 metres. Physically, he is well-built, which is evident from the way he withstands the physical demands and impacts of one-on-one challenges. He is very quick on his feet and can accelerate in a matter of milliseconds.

Technically, Camara is very skilled, and his ambidexterity helps him in this regard. When it comes to passing, he is a player who looks to make both direct and indirect links, which allows him to get into creative positions with ease. He is accurate with short passes but also can vary his play, and his crosses are always a threat, regardless of how he chooses to deliver the ball into the opposition’s area. He does not often find himself in shooting positions due to the right-back role he now occupies at RSC Anderlecht, but when he has the opportunity to cut inside down the central channel and shoot, he seeks to apply just the right amount of power and precision to the ball – in this regard, his first touch is commendable and evident not only when shooting, but at other moments in the game as well. His dribbling ability is the highlight of his game: he executes it with tremendous speed. He incorporates feints whilst zigzagging, with the ‘scissors’ being his most common move – he uses his arms to protect himself from losing possession. He beats opponents with ease and, when he has space, accelerates to look for the pass leading to a shot on goal. When dribbling, it’s common to see him gently touch the ball with the outside of his foot, which helps him accelerate at just the right moment, as well as change direction, as I’ve already mentioned. After a run, he always looks up to make the right decision.

The young Senegalese player has a good psychological profile. He shows confidence in his actions, both because he never shies away from the game and because he is always looking to create something (either individually or through link-up play). Even when his team is behind on the scoreboard, he never gives up and always tries to get the team as close as possible to the opposition’s penalty area. He has a good competitive attitude, demonstrating focus, determination and hard work at all stages of the game, particularly during defensive transitions.

Tactically, Ilay Camara is a player who can fulfil various roles on the pitch. He first made his mark at Standard Liège as a left-sided midfielder or left-back, but has been playing as a right-back at RSC Anderlecht. I believe, in fact, that given his technical and physical attributes, he could play as a winger – I think that would be more beneficial for his performance. He is a player who knows how to occupy space and makes good decisions in attacking situations. Defensively, as he is not yet fully settled in the position, he tends to struggle a little, both due to a lack of routine and because he does not always adopt the right approach – furthermore, he often finds himself outnumbered down the flank.

Ilay Camara has great potential. However, I believe he should be deployed in positions that make the most of his ability to unbalance defences, get into the box, finish and create chances. The fact that he is constantly exposed defensively ultimately restrains his performance. In my view, and provided his form improves, I believe Ilay Camara could easily secure a starting place at mid-table clubs in Europe’s top leagues, as well as a regular place in the Senegal national team squad.