Lamine Gassama

Lamine Gassama

Personal information
Full name	Lamine Gassama
Date of birth	20 October 1989 (1989-10-20)
Place of birth	Marseille, France
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Right back
Club information
Current club	Lorient
Number	25
Youth career
1997–2002	Nouvelle Vague Jeunes
2002–2003	Pennes Mirabeau
2003–2005	Martigues
2005–2006	Aubagne FC
2006–2008	Lyon
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2008–2012	Lyon	17	(0)
2012–	Lorient	0	(0)
National team‡
2008	France U21	3	(0)
2011–	Senegal	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 January 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 04:23, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

Lamine Gassama (born 20 October 1989) is a Senegalese football player who plays for French club Lorient in Ligue 1.

Football career

Early career

Gassama grew up in the neighbourhood of La 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.

Lyon

Before the start of the 2008–09 season, 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.

International career

Gassama made no appearances with any of France's youth 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.

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Olympique Lyonnais	2008–09	7	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	10	0
	2009–10	6	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	9	0
	2010–11	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

External links

• Profile on Olympique Lyonnais Website
• LFP Profile
• Lamine Gassama at National-Football-Teams.com