Mamadou Sangaré wins 2026 Marc-Vivien Foé award after standout first season with Lens | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, RC Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangaré won the 2026 Marc-Vivien Foé award on Monday.

The prize recognises the best African player in Ligue 1 and is presented by RFI and France 24.

Aged 23, the Mali international succeeds Achraf Hakimi and becomes the first Malian winner of the honour.

In his debut Ligue 1 campaign he established himself as the driving force in the Lens midfield, impressing with relentless work, power in duels and his ability to keep the team balanced.

He made 28 appearances for the Sang et Or, scoring three and supplying four assists, and topped the vote with 313 points ahead of Senegal’s Lamine Camara of Monaco and Moussa Niakhaté of Lyon.

Signed from Rapid Vienna, Sangaré has taken his game to another level in France. He now sits alongside past winners including Gervinho, Aubameyang and Osimhen, with the prize created in tribute to Marc-Vivien Foé, the former Cameroon international who died in 2003 during the Confederations Cup.

Lens sealed next season’s Champions League place with a 1-0 win over Nantes on Friday.

Source: L'Équipe