Ilay Camara

Last updated

Ilay Camara
Personal information
Full name Ilay Alioune Gino Rian Camara [1]
Date of birth (2003-01-18) 18 January 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Bonheiden, Belgium
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Full-back, winger
Team information
Current team
Anderlecht
Number 7
Youth career
Keerbergen
OH Leuven
Anderlecht
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2023 Anderlecht B 30 (0)
2023–2025 RWDM 28 (3)
2024–2025Standard Liège (loan) 34 (0)
2025– Anderlecht 1 (0)
International career
2018 Belgium U15 1 (0)
2018–2019 Belgium U16 6 (0)
2025– Senegal 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:06, 25 March 2025 (UTC)

Ilay Alioune Gino Rian Camara (born 18 January 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a full-back or winger for Belgian Pro League club Anderlecht. Born in Belgium, he plays for the Senegal national team.

Contents

Club career

Born in Bonheiden in Antwerp Province, Camara began playing as a youth for KSC Keerbergen  [ nl ] before joining OH Leuven. In 2019, he joined R.S.C. Anderlecht. [2] In February 2023, while playing for the reserve team of Les Mauves in the third-tier Belgian National Division 1, the 20-year-old signed his first professional contract, lasting until June 2025. [3]

On 6 September 2023, Camara joined Belgian Pro League side R.W.D. Molenbeek on a three-year deal in a free transfer. He arrived to cover the injury of Sambu Mansoni. [4] He played 28 games, scoring three goals and assisting five, as his team were relegated; [5] on 26 November he was sent off in a 2–1 loss on his return to Anderlecht. [6]

In June 2024, Camara was linked with a transfer to three clubs of the EFL ChampionshipCoventry City, Preston North End and Burnley – for a fee of £1.5-2 million. Stade de Reims of the French Ligue 1 were also interested. [7] [8] Instead, on 13 August he was loaned to Standard Liège of the Belgian top flight, with the option to purchase. [5] In his first month at the club, he played at left and right full-back positions, being praised for his performances by newspaper La Dernière Heure . [9]

In April 2025, Standard signed Camara on a permanent four-year deal, before selling him back to Anderlecht on 5 July for a fee reported by RTBF as between €4 million and €4.5 million. [10] He signed a contract to last until 2030. [11] Having missed the start of the season through injury, he made his debut on 3 August with an assist in a 2–0 win away to Cercle Brugge, and four days later on his European debut he set up the opening goal for Nilson Angulo in a 3–0 home win over Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol in UEFA Conference League qualifiers. [12] He was substituted from that game after 30 minutes and was ruled out with a hamstring injury. [13]

International career

Camara was born in Belgium to a Senegalese father and Belgian mother and holds dual citizenship. He is a former youth international for Belgium. [14]

On 13 March 2025, Camara was called up to the senior Senegal national team for a set of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. [15] Eight days later, his request to switch international allegiance to Senegal was approved by FIFA. [1] He made his debut in the starting line-up in a 2–0 win over Togo on 25 March. [16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 7 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
RSCA Futures 2022–23 Challenger Pro League 1709 [a] 0220
2023–24 Challenger Pro League4040
Total22090260
RWDM 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 28030310
Standard Liège (loan) 2024–25 Belgian Pro League34020360
Anderlecht 2025–26 Belgian Pro League10001 [b] 020
Career total850501090980
  1. Appearances in Challenger Pro League play-offs
  2. Appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

As of match played 25 March 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Senegal 202510
Total10

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA Change of Association Platform". knowledge.fifa.com. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  2. Delstanches, Christophe (13 September 2024). "Formé à Anderlecht, Ilay Camara veut devenir un pion incontournable au Standard" [Formed at Anderlecht, Ilay Camara wants to become an undisputed part of Standard] (in French). RTBF . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  3. Bourlon, Antoine (24 February 2023). "Premier contrat pro pour un espoir des RSCA Futures" [First pro contract for an RSCA Futures prospect] (in French). WalFoot. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  4. "Ilay Camara, des U23 d'Anderlecht à titulaire avec le RWDM en D1 : " Il doit saisir sa chance "" [Ilay Camara, from Anderlecht U23 to starter with RWDM in First Division: "He must take his chance"] (in French). Sud Info. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Nouvelle arrivée au Standard de Liège : Ilay Camara débarque en prêt du RWDM" [New arrival at Standard Liège: Ilay Camara arrives on loan from RWDM] (in French). RTBF. Belga. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  6. Janssen, Louis (28 November 2023). "Le RWDM demande que Camara, exclu contre Anderlecht, ne soit pas suspendu : "Ça ouvrirait la porte à toutes les dérives", explique Boucaut" [RWDM ask that Camara, sent off against Anderlecht, not be suspended: "It would open the door to all sorts of precedents", explains Boucaut]. La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  7. Jones, Jordan (20 June 2024). "Burnley reportedly join Preston North End and Coventry City in £1.5m transfer chase". Lancashire Evening Post . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. Turner, Andy (28 June 2024). "Sell, marry, avoid - Coventry City's transfer priorities amid Joe Worrall and Ilay Camara links". Coventry Telegraph . Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. Sterpigny, Sébastien (13 September 2024). "Ilay Camara s'est rapidement fait une place au Standard : "Je veux réaliser de grandes choses au Standard"" [Ilay Camara is quickly making a place for himself at Standard: "I want to perform great things at Standard"]. La Dernière Heure (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. "Retour à la case départ : Ilay Camara quitte le Standard pour Anderlecht" [Back to the starting point: Ilay Camara leaves Standard for Anderlecht] (in French). RTBF. 5 July 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  11. "Officiel : Ilay Camara retourne à Anderlecht" [Official: Ilay Camara returns to Anderlecht]. La Dernière Heure (in French). 5 July 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  12. Elikplim, Bokor. "Senegalese international Ilay Camara shines early but exits injured in Anderlecht's Conference League triumph". Africa Soccer. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  13. "Anderlecht sera à nouveau privé de son défenseur Ilay Camara pendant "quelques semaines"" [Anderlecht will again be deprived of their defender Ilay Camara for "some weeks"] (in French). BX1. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  14. "Belgique ou Sénégal, Ilay Camara se confie : « Ce sera un choix du cœur »" [Belgium or Senegal, Ilay Camara confides: "It will be a choice from the heart"] (in French). D Sports. 1 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  15. "Senegal announce squad for March international break; Sadio Mane included". Khel Now. 13 March 2025.
  16. "Senegal 2-0 Togo". fifa.com. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.