Brest’s Malian trio: inside the making of Kamory Doumbia, Daouda Guindo and Hamidou Makalou | OneFootball

Brest visit Rennes on Saturday in Ligue 1, with trio Kamory Doumbia, Daouda Guindo and Hamidou Makalou all products of Bamako’s Jean-Marc Guillou academy.

According to L'Équipe, president Denis Le Saint has confirmed an academy in Dakar. For now the focus is on 22-year-old midfielder Doumbia, 23-year-old left-back Guindo and 19-year-old midfielder Makalou.

Coach Frédéric Martin says Doumbia and Guindo were in the same intake and that Doumbia, nicknamed Toupie, was the strategist.

Guindo arrived at 11 or 12, cried after defeats to boys, became one of the best one v one. All three were serious, only Makalou was punished for skipping a class, writing lines.

Selection is ruthless, with trials lasting nearly three months from 5,000 hopefuls. Martin noticed Doumbia in a six v six, pressed by Guindo and others, yet he played out with ease.

Like Yves Bissouma, they shared rooms of four or five. They feared Martin’s German Shepherds and never beat him at swimming, though all left Mali around 18.

There is no link to Brest and Doumbia initially signed for Reims. Martin cites his friendship with Éric Roy from their Nice and Toulon days.

Roy had flagged Doumbia while Lens sporting director in 2017-2019, and in September 2023 he praised academy graduates for strong basics and comfort on the ball. Doumbia’s arrival, also approved by Grégory Lorenzi, underlined that trust.

The trio are settled, and all three finished the 0-0 draw with Nantes on 4 October. It could be the same again in Rennes.

Source: L'Équipe