Bamba Dieng - back with a bang!

At just 25, Bamba Dieng is a player who has experienced more ups and downs than many players would experience in their whole career. Back from injury, the Senegal international has been on fire in the Coupe de France, scoring five goals in just two games.

An early breakthrough at Marseille

Dieng made his breakthrough early. Marseille are immensely popular in Dieng's native Senegal, and he made the move to the Ligue 1 McDonald's giants thanks to a partnership with Diambras. Initially trialled by Les Phocéens, he quickly convinced the club to take him permanently. Hardly used during his first season at the Vélodrome (2020/21), he began the next with a bang, netting a brace against AS Monaco in the fourth game of the season, before then netting a week later against Rennes.

Expectations rocketed, but the Senegal international struggled to live up to them. The forward endured a fallow period and would only score another four goals before the end of the campaign.

Despite that, it was a hugely fruitful season for Dieng, who went away with his national team in January to win the Africa Cup of Nations, featuring in five games and scoring once.

First goal of the season for Bamba Dieng 🇸🇳🗣️ pic.twitter.com/nIUeLpFf2t
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) January 4, 2026

But then came the disruption. In the summer of 2022, the centre-forward had looked on the verge of completing a move to Nice before an injury foiled the move. It set in motion a series of events that would see Dieng fall off the radar. Used sparingly by OM in the first half of the 2022/23 season, he joined Lorient on a permanent basis in January, but would only score three times in the league before two separate injuries brought an early end to his campaign.

The next season would prove even tougher as injuries would restrict him to just 16 Ligue 1 McDonald's games. He would score four goals that season, but then spent the next season on loan at Angers, looking to rebuild a career that had started so promisingly and one that had hit such an incredible height with that AFCON triumph back in 2022.

Six goals in seven games for Dieng

Once again, his body let him down; an ankle injury, another adductor injury, and a groin issue prevented him from finding his rhythm. His six goals in 22 games in all competitions with Le Sco were respectable, but did not truly correct Dieng's course.

But is there now light at the end of the tunnel? Injuries have once again curtailed his season so far, but in the seven games that he has played, he already has an incredible six goals, five of which have come in two Coupe de France games; another came in a 1-1 draw against Metz in the league last time out.

In Dieng, there is clearly an innate goalscorer, and once more, hope that he can fulfil his potential, if his body permits. If he can stay off the treatment table and on the pitch, Lorient can look towards the second half of the Ligue 1 McDonald's campaign with great optimism.

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