Mamadou Tounkara
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mamadou Tounkara | ||
| Date of birth | 19 January 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Blanes, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Lazio | ||
| Number | 78 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2012 | Barcelona | ||
| 2011 | → Centre D'Esports Farners (loan) | ||
| 2012– | Lazio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2014– | Lazio | 1 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2012 | Spain U17 | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 August 2014. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Mamadou Tounkara (born 19 January 1996) is a Spanish footballer of Senegalese descent, who plays as a forward for Serie A club Lazio.
Career
Early career
Born in Blanes, Girona, Catalonia, to Senegalese parents, Tounkara first began playing football with Barcelona's youth academy. In 2011, he was sent on loan to Centre D'Esports Farners in Selva. Tounkara had a release clause of 3 million euro written into his Barcelona contract but poor discipline and two serious injuries saw the club lose interest in the striker.[1]
Lazio
After his Barcelona contract expired, Serie A club Lazio signed Tounkara to a three-year deal in August 2012.[2] In Rome, he joined his former Barcelona teammate Keita Baldé Diao. Tounkara spent his first two seasons with the club playing in the Primavera youth team, first under Alberto Bollini and later under Simone Inzaghi. As a promsing player, he was also selected to join the senior squad at pre-season camp in Auronzo di Cadore. He wears the number 45 shirt in honour of his idol, the Italian striker Mario Balotelli.[3]
Having been training with the first team, Tounkara made his Serie A debut in the final match of the 2013-14 season, which Lazio won 1-0 at the Stadio Olimpico against Bologna. Tounkara came off the bench to replace Miroslav Klose in the 81st minute of the game.[4]
International career
Tounkara is eligible to represent both Spain and Senegal at international level. In 2012, he received a call-up to the Spanish under-17 side.
References
- ↑ http://lamialazio.altervista.org/tounkara-tra-sogni-ambizioni-e-rivincite-vuole-la-lazio/ Tounkara, tra sogni, ambizioni e rivincite: vuole la Lazio.]
- ↑ Lazio, arriva il giovane Tounkara
- ↑ Tounkara e il numero 45: "L'ho scelto per Balotelli"
- ↑ Lazio v Bologna 18 May 2014
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