Last weekend, Edition number 324 of OGCNICE.mag introduced the six youngsters who have been given their chance in L1 this season by Patrick Vieira. Amongst them, features Lamine Diaby-Fadiga. A graduate of the club’s academy, the centre forward started his first professional match against Montpellier (1-0). A few days after his excellent performance, here’s a look at the youngster’s journey until now.

Unlike most of his fellow academy graduates, he began his pro career before he featured in L1. He was the first player born in the 3rd millennium to play in Les Aiglons’ first team, back on 7 December 2017 in Arnhem in a Europa League match (lost 0-1). “Something rather impressive, a bonus”explains Lamine Diaby-Fadiga a year and a half later. 

Born in Grasse to a Guinean father, and an Algerian mother, he is strongly built and has two brothers (Abou, who played at Cannes with Vincent Koziello and Kader, an artist) and a younger sister, who plays for the France U18s and is a huge prospect for the club. He is also a player of his time: (very) active on social media, not daunted when speaking to the media, not shaken by the world around him, but always supported.  “In the last couple of weeks, I have taken a flat in Nice, where I live with my dad,he explains. It would have been tough to have been alone, now it’s like still being at the academy.”

“I don’t plan on stopping” 

After playing for Mougins, Cannet-Rocheville, Cannes and Vallauris, Lamine is now in his fifth season with Les Aiglons. Like the majority of the other players who have had their chance this season, he played for the Nice youth teams and has fond memories of his tournaments with the U14s-U15s. A memory that he still uses to progress: “On my phone, I have all the stats from every season, be that with Nice or for the French national side, so that I can compare and improve.”This season, the stats (5 goals and 1 assist) have been dampened by an injury he picked up with France, shortly after a strong summer and his first taste of L1 in Week 1 of L1 (0-1 against Reims). “He had a very good start. In the same way as his pre-season was with us. He works, he has physical presence, can play with his back to goal. You can’t forget that he is only 17 years old, but he has brought something to the team and that is good” commented  Coach Vieira after his first taste of the top flight. 

Held back but not stopped, Diaby-Fadiga returned to competitive football with the U19s and the reserves, before joining up with the pros against Montpellier, putting in a good performance in his first start in Ligue 1. Not forgetting making life difficult for veteran Hilton, 23 years his senior, at the same time.

”My objective for the end of this season is to play and score for the first team, he concluded. I am feeling better and better, I am getting my rhythm back and I am enjoying it just as much. Honestly, I am only 18, I wake up every morning to go and play football, I train with Dante, I love it. And I don’t plan on stopping.”

Lamine’s soundtrack

To see another side of Le Gym’s young forward, take a look at his musical universe, thanks to a new edition of Soundtrack.

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