Every week, OneFootball introduces you to the new gems of world football. Today, we're focusing on a French gem who could be the future.France is renowned for its many offensive talents, and Samba Kon...
Every week, OneFootball introduces you to the new gems of world football. Today, we're focusing on a French gem who could be the future.
France is renowned for its many offensive talents, and Samba Konaté is the latest example.
You might have heard his name this weekend while watching the Bundesliga, as the young French striker of Senegalese origin made his professional debut with Leipzig at just 16 years old.
1️⃣6️⃣ years
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) December 8, 2025
0️⃣9️⃣ months
0️⃣9️⃣ days
Congratulations on your Bundesliga debut, Samba Konaté! Inspiring stuff 👏⚡ pic.twitter.com/EBQRoZlAPv
He thus became the second youngest player in Bundesliga history. A pretty incredible precocity, especially when you know his journey, as he wasn't in a pro club last season.
Having passed through the training centers of OM and Le Havre, he made a name for himself with the U17 Nationals of Cavigal, a club from Nice, with whom he scored 20 goals and 6 assists.
C’est 𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗫𝗜 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗘 la trajectoire de Samba Konaté (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟵) 🇫🇷💎😱
— BeFootball (@_BeFootball) December 7, 2025
▫️𝗮𝘃𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 : 20 buts en U17 Nat avec Cavigal ⚽️
▫️𝗺𝗮𝗶 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 : signe à Leipzig ✅
▫️𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 : appelé en EdF U17 🐓
▫️𝗱𝗲́𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 : entre en… pic.twitter.com/AobxM05D3f
Enough to get noticed by the biggest European clubs, like Milan or PSG, and decide to take the big leap to Germany, at Leipzig, known for its management of young players.
A choice quickly validated, as the prodigy made the transition with ease. With the U19s of the German club, the French forward, who already stands at 1.90m, scored 9 goals and provided 2 assists in 12 matches, showcasing his fluid technique and goal-scoring sense.
Watch this space! Samba Konate just made the senior squad for RB Leipzig in the DFB Pokal this week! 🇫🇷🇩🇪🤩
— Eyeball Football (Soccer) (@Eyeballfootball) December 4, 2025
Joined from French amateur side Cavigal Nice in the summer… now he’s exploding: 11 goal contributions in 12 games! 🔥⚽️
First-team debut loading. ⏳ pic.twitter.com/spBlM158N9
His stellar start to the season also earned him a first call-up with the French U17 team last October, and thus this Bundesliga appearance last weekend.
As with the greatest talents and his style of play on the field, everything is moving very fast for Konaté, who could quickly continue to climb the ranks.
We can't wait to see him play more often with the professionals, to see if France truly has a young world-class talent.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.
Category: General Sports
