Ivory Coast’s Seko Fofana wins FRANCE 24-RFI award for best African player in Ligue 1

Fofana has played a vital role in RC Lens’s rise to prominence – reaching 7th place in Ligue 1 this season just two years after getting promoted.

The Ivorian star has lived up to his early promise, scoring 8 goals in 35 league games in 2021-22.

Born in Paris on May 7, 1995, Fofana started his career as a child at Paris FC from 2004 to 2010; the French capital’s little-known second team being a fertile breeding ground for young talent. Fofana then stepped up a notch by joining the academy of Lorient, where he played from 2010 to 2013.

Fofana got his big break when Premier League giants Manchester City signed him in 2013 after spotting his performances for the French national team’s under-16 and under-17 sides.

This provided a great opportunity for Fofana’s development, as he rubbed shoulders with some of the greatest players of the day, including his compatriot and idol Yaya Touré. He listened carefully to the advice of Man City’s renowned managers Manuel Pellegrini and Roberto Mancini.

However, the young Fofana didn’t play any first team matches – continuing his apprenticeship in the Man City reserves under the tutelage of French footballing icon Patrick Viera.

Fofana’s performances in the reserves attracted the attention of Fulham, then in the Championship, English football’s second tier. A successful 2014-15 season on loan at Craven Cottage led to another loan spell, this time in Ligue 1 at Corsican side Sporting Club de Bastia.

The club finished the 2015-16 season at a respectable 10th place – with Fofana making a sterling contribution to that better than expected performances in his 32 appearances. Italy’s Udinese – who have a knack for snapping up young talent – liked what they saw and signed the Ivorian from Man