Player focus: Mamadou Sakho (PSG)

It’s not very often you see a teenage captain a professional football team.

However, Paris Saint-Germain, who are considered one of the giants of French football and have a fine pedigree in Europe did just that when manager, Paul Le Guen, at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season handed 17-year-old defender, Mamadou Sakho, the captain’s armband on 20 October against Valenciennes FC in his debut league appearance; thus becoming the youngest ever captain in Ligue 1 history.Mamadou Sakho, who was the fourth child of seven, began his career at semi-professional club, Paris FC, who are considered to be one of Paris’ top junior clubs who have a history of nurturing youngsters before the best talent is usually snapped up by city giants, Paris Saint-Germain. Having spent six years at FC Paris, Sakho was duly signed by Paris Saint-Germain in 2002 aged 13.

At FC Paris, Mamadou Sakho was predominantly a striker but was quickly moved into defence once he joined Paris Saint-Germain’s youth academy, Camp des Loges. Struggling to adjust to his new role and following the death of his father a year later, Sakho seemed to lose focus and was branded a delinquent at Le Camp. Under-13 coach, Christian Mas, was then asked to look after Sakho and duly took him under his wing, nurturing him through his turbulent youth before continuing to act as a mentor whilst he climbed the youth ranks at the club. It was an important stage in Sakho’s fledgling career as he quickly established himself as one of the stars of Le Camp and was instrumental in the Under-18 team which lifted the Championnat National des 18 despite being just 15-years-old.

In June 2007, Mamadou Sakho was handed his first professional contract and he went on to play 12 Ligue 1 games in the 2007-2008 season, as a left-back. It was also the same season when Paris Saint-Germain went on to lift the French Cup after beating Lens in the final with Sakho playing the full 90 minutes at left-back in the 2-1 win.

The following season, Mamadou Sakho would go on to make 23 league appearances scoring his first senior goal against Saint-Etienne in February 2009. The same season, Sakho would go on to play seven games in Europe as Paris Saint-Germain reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup. In the 2009-2010 season, Mamadou Sakho was asked to play in his more favoured position as a central defender alongside veteran Zoumana Camara as Paul Le Guen was replaced by former Paris Saint-Germain (and Aberdeen) centre-back, Antoine Kombouaré. It proved to be an inspired decision as Sakho quickly established himself into one of France’s top central defenders and deservedly received a call up to the French national team at the end of the season having made 32 league appearances.

The following season was to be Mamadou Sakho’s most productive season as he scored four league goals in 35 appearances partnering either Camara or Sylvain Armand in Paris Saint-Germain’s defence. His exploits in the 2010-2011 season did not go unnoticed as he went on to win the French Young Player of the Year award and was also named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.

In the 2011-2012 season, Mamadou Sakho was reinstalled as club captain after the retirement of Claude Makelele but he struggled with injuries which also coincided with a poor run of form which led to Sakho being dropped by new manager, Carlo Ancelotti who had taken the reigns of Paris Saint-Germain half way through the season. The following season saw Sakho take another step down the ladder as Paris Saint-Germain, who were now owned by Qatari businessman, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, took to buying some big money signings which included AC Milan’s, Thiago Silva. As a result, Mamadou Sakho quickly fell behind both Thiago Silva and former Chelsea defender, Alex, as he struggled for game time, often appearing off the bench or used primarily in cup competitions.