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Captain and mainstay of RC Lens, Ivorian international Seko Fofana won the 2022 edition of the Marc-Vivien Foé award, given to the best African player of the season in Ligue 1 by France 24 and RFI. Inescapable and decisive in the Lensois midfield, he has established himself as one of the most successful midfielders in the championship.
It’s the RC Lens’s particle accelerator. Ivorian international Seko Fofana, who has been one of the stars of the season, has been awarded the prize for the best African player in Ligue 1 by RFI and France 24. This distinction comes in recognition of an impressive midfielder for his consistency and generosity, which chained, day after day, high-flying performances.
Seko Fofana was one of the main protagonists of the northern club’s excellent season, which moved into the top half of the table for the second consecutive season, two years after their promotion to Ligue 1.
Indispensable and decisive, with 8 goals in 37 league games (the most prolific season of his career), the Ivorian has fully lived up to the hopes placed on him at his young age.
Born in Paris on May 7, 1995, he started at Paris FC between 2004 and 2010, before joining the Lorient training center (2010 to 2013), where he was coached by Julien Stéphan, current RC Strasbourg coach. Although he was influenced by the playing philosophy of Christian Gourcuff, the first team coach at the time, he refused to sign his first professional contract with Les Merlus because he had not had a chance in Ligue 1.
Signed at the age of 18 by Manchester City
He was in the sights of Manchester City, who noticed him in the games played with the U-16 and U-17 teams of ‘Les Bleus’, and joined the English club in 2013 at the age of 18, becoming the first young player to leave FC Lorient so early.
It was a daring career move. However, after initially joining a youth team, Seko Fofana soon joined the professional squad, where he rubbed elbows with top players such as his compatriot and idol Yaya Touré, the Spanish world champion David Silva, the French international Samir Nasri and the formidable Argentine forward Sergio Agüero. He listened carefully to the advice of his prestigious coaches, such as Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini.
But Seko Fofana did not play any games with the first team. He continued his apprenticeship in the reserve, under Frenchman Patrick Vieira.
His performances attracted Fulham, then in the Championship (English second division), who welcomed him on loan (2014-2015). The following season, he finally discovered the highest level and Ligue 1 thanks to a new loan, this time in Corsica, in the ranks of Sporting Club de Bastia (2015-2016).
A first experience in Ligue 1 in Corsica
The club finished in a respectable tenth position, and Seko Fofana, who had a good season and played 32 games, caught the attention of Udinese. The Serie A club, specialized in recruiting promising youngsters, convinced City to sell their candidate in exchange for a check of 3.5 million euros.
It was at this Italian club (2016 to 2020) that Seko Fofana, who decided to play for the Ivory Coast team (6 games), stabilized and gradually took the steps that separated him from the top level. Four full seasons in a difficult and decidedly tactical championship.
With this experience behind him, Seko Fofana decided to return to France, despite an offer from Atalanta de Bergamo, which offers some of the most attractive football in Europe.
Although it was rumored several times that he could be at Olympique de Marseille, it was Lens, who had just been promoted to Ligue 1, who paid a club record €10m, that signed him in August 2020. to Artois until 2024 and quickly became one of the club’s key players alongside fellow Congolese Gaël Kakuta, who won the 2021 Marc-Vivien Foé award. Bollaert’s stadium crowd quickly adopted him and he established himself as a major player in the championship.
“I’ve seen some outfits, but this is the best team I’ve ever been in. The last time I was in this group was in the City youth team,” he told ‘So Foot’ publication in May 2021.
Seko Fofana is so committed to his club that he refused to defend the colors of the Ivory Coast in the last African Cup of Nations to focus on French competitions. This decision has earned him a lot of criticism in the Ivory Coast, although I’m sure he wants to play the 2023 African Cup of Nations, which will be held at the Elephants’ ground.
Meanwhile, although he is once again in the crosshairs of the big European clubs, the Lens captain’s future may lie elsewhere than in northern France. The opportunity to discover the Champions League?
*Seko Fofana was appointed by a jury made up of nearly 100 journalists specializing in French and African football from a list of 12 players previously established by the sports services of RFI and France 24.
Since 2011, the trophy for the best African player in Ligue 1 has been named after Marc-Vivien Foé in tribute to the Cameroonian player who died suddenly during a match at the Gerland stadium in Lyon on June 26, 2003. You can opt for the Marc -Vivien Foé Award players who have worn the colors of an African national team and who have played at least 15 games in Ligue 1 this season.
*Adapted from its original French version
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