Aladji Bamba: Monaco's new midfield diamond

A commanding and elegant midfielder, Aladji Bamba made his debut for formative club AS Monaco during Saturday's 2-1 win over AJ Auxerre.

Bamba goes under the radar

Whilst we still await Paul Pogba's highly anticipated return to professional football, there is already a languid, elegant midfielder prowling around the pitch for Monaco. Bamba came through the ranks at Monaco, progressing through the club's now-renowned La Diagonale academy, having joined in 2021.

Despite interest from Lille, he opted to join Monaco, where his older brother, Malamine Bamba, was already playing youth football. Whilst Malamine, now at NK Maribor, never made a first-team appearance for the Principality club, Aladji made that step earlier this season. The defensive midfielder came off the bench in the dying seconds of the 3-1 win over Le Havre on the opening day of the Ligue 1 McDonald's season and then came off the bench again in the 3-2 win over Strasbourg before the international break.

However, with Champions League football returning this week, Adi Hutter rotated his squad for the trip to the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, offering Bamba his first-ever start for Les Monégasques.

Première apparition en professionnel pour Aladji Bamba 🔴⚪️

3️⃣-1️⃣ #ASMHAC pic.twitter.com/JS10yMHXZW
— AS Monaco 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco) August 17, 2025

Described as a discrete character by those who know him from his time in his hometown club, Blois, Bamba went somewhat under the radar at Monaco, and it wasn't until later that he was picked up by the French set-up. He has since gone on to represent Les Bleuets at U20 level.

After bringing through a midfield trio of Soungoutou Magassa (now at West Ham), Félix Lemarechal (now at Strasbourg), and Mamadou Coulibaly just two years earlier, he has, nonetheless, always been highly rated at Monaco and touted to follow a similar trajectory.

A languid, tall midfielder, Bamba possesses great passing technique and also has a composure and an awareness of what is around him that allows him to evade the press and get his team on the front foot. Those characteristics were on full display against Auxerre, especially as he grew in confidence as the game progressed, alongside captain Denis Zakaria.

Described as more of a "technical leader" rather than a player who will "raise his voice" and be heard within the dressing room, by his brother Malamine, Bamba is an expressive player, even in a position that demands a lot of discipline.

"I'd like to compliment Aladji, who, at only 19 years old, was starting for the first time in his Ligue 1 McDonald's career. He played like someone with great experience, so I'm happy with his performance," reacted Hutter after Monaco's 2-1 win over Auxerre.

Whilst Monaco will soon be able to rely on World Champion Pogba, space will be left for Bamba to grow, and even be inspired by La Pioche, with whom there are undoubted similarities.

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