Souleymane Mamam
Encyclopedia
Souleymane Mamam is a Togolese
footballer who is currently playing with Nejmeh SC
, having been released by Belgian Third Division A
side K.R.C. Mechelen
in July 2010. He plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger.
, Togo
, Mamam played for local clubs in Lomé before signing for English club Manchester United
in 2003. However, work permit
regulations meant that it was not possible for Mamam to play in the United Kingdom and he was sent on loan to play at Royal Antwerp until he was eligible for a Belgian passport. At the end of the 2006–07 season, after four seasons of playing on loan for Antwerp, Manchester United decided not to renew his contract.
Having become a free agent, Mamam then signed a new one-year permanent deal with Royal Antwerp in time for the start of the 2007–08 season. He went on trial at Motherwell
– who declined to sign Mamam in favour of another defender – and Birmingham City
, but again failed to secure a deal due to work permit problems. He also went on trial with Toronto FC
in the MLS in January 2010, before joining Belgian Third Division A
team K.R.C. Mechelen
until the end of the 2009–10 season.
Mamam returned to Manchester United on trial in August 2011, and played in a friendly for the club's reserve team against Morecambe
on 1 August; he was substituted in the 53rd minute by Jesse Lingard, who scored the team's second goal in a 2–0 win. He then scored after 11 minutes of the reserves' next game against Llanelli
at Parc y Scarlets
on 8 August, but was substituted in the 58th minute.
records, on 6 May 2001, he became the youngest player to ever play a World Cup
qualifier when he played for Togo
against Zambia
at the age of 13 years and 310 days.
records appear to indicate that Mamam was born on the 30 June 1987. However, various websites, including the official website of Royal Antwerp, cite 20 June 1985 as Mamam's birthdate, which would mean he was in fact almost 16 when he played his first match for Togo.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
footballer who is currently playing with Nejmeh SC
Nejmeh SC
This article is about the Lebanese football club.For the Saudi Arabian team, see Al-Nejma .For the Bahraini team, see Al-Najma.For the Libyan team, see Annajma S.C.....
, having been released by Belgian Third Division A
Belgian Third Division A
The Belgian Third Division A is one of the two leagues at the third level of the Belgian football league system, the other one being the Belgian Third Division B. This division has existed since the 1952-53 season and is played every year with 16 clubs...
side K.R.C. Mechelen
K.R.C. Mechelen
K.R.C. Mechelen is a Belgian association football club from Mechelen in the Antwerp province. It currently plays in the third division B. It is a long-time rival of KV Mechelen. The club's best position ever is a second place in the first division 1951–52...
in July 2010. He plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger.
Club career
Born in LoméLomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, Mamam played for local clubs in Lomé before signing for English club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in 2003. However, work permit
Work permit
Work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment.It is most often used in reference to instances where a person is given permission to work in a country where one does not hold citizenship, but is also used in reference to minors, who in some...
regulations meant that it was not possible for Mamam to play in the United Kingdom and he was sent on loan to play at Royal Antwerp until he was eligible for a Belgian passport. At the end of the 2006–07 season, after four seasons of playing on loan for Antwerp, Manchester United decided not to renew his contract.
Having become a free agent, Mamam then signed a new one-year permanent deal with Royal Antwerp in time for the start of the 2007–08 season. He went on trial at Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
– who declined to sign Mamam in favour of another defender – and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, but again failed to secure a deal due to work permit problems. He also went on trial with Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
in the MLS in January 2010, before joining Belgian Third Division A
Belgian Third Division A
The Belgian Third Division A is one of the two leagues at the third level of the Belgian football league system, the other one being the Belgian Third Division B. This division has existed since the 1952-53 season and is played every year with 16 clubs...
team K.R.C. Mechelen
K.R.C. Mechelen
K.R.C. Mechelen is a Belgian association football club from Mechelen in the Antwerp province. It currently plays in the third division B. It is a long-time rival of KV Mechelen. The club's best position ever is a second place in the first division 1951–52...
until the end of the 2009–10 season.
Mamam returned to Manchester United on trial in August 2011, and played in a friendly for the club's reserve team against Morecambe
Morecambe F.C.
Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth division of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League. They played their home matches at Christie Park...
on 1 August; he was substituted in the 53rd minute by Jesse Lingard, who scored the team's second goal in a 2–0 win. He then scored after 11 minutes of the reserves' next game against Llanelli
Llanelli A.F.C.
Llanelli Association Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club that plays in the Welsh Premier League for the 2010–11 season. The team has been based at Stebonheath Park since 1920, and as of 2009 is managed by Andy Legg....
at Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets
Parc y Scarlets is a rugby union stadium in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, that opened in November 2008 as the new home of the Scarlets and Llanelli RFC. The ground replaced Stradey Park, the home of Llanelli's rugby teams for almost 130 years...
on 8 August, but was substituted in the 58th minute.
International career
According to official FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
records, on 6 May 2001, he became the youngest player to ever play a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifier when he played for Togo
Togo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
against Zambia
Zambia national football team
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of...
at the age of 13 years and 310 days.
Age controversy
Official FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
records appear to indicate that Mamam was born on the 30 June 1987. However, various websites, including the official website of Royal Antwerp, cite 20 June 1985 as Mamam's birthdate, which would mean he was in fact almost 16 when he played his first match for Togo.