Mohamed Bamba: Gil Vicente’s superhero | OneFootball

In January, highly rated Ivorian midfielder Mory Gbane joined French side Stade Reims from Gil Vicente for six million euros. Undeniably shrewd business as Gil had invested merely a fraction of that fee on the player. Only Fran Navarro and Samuel Lino – sold to FC Porto and Atlético Madrid respectively – had fetched higher fees in the club’s history. However, considering the circumstances, the timing was far from ideal.

The 24-year-old ball-winner was vital in off-ball processes, stabilising Gil Vicente while they hovered near relegation throughout the 2024/25 season, playing the hybrid central defender/defensive midfield role demanded by Bruno Pinheiro. Amid attempts to escape the dreaded relegation scrap, losing any regular first-team contributor would be detrimental.

And Gbane’s replacement? 20-year-old Mohamed Bamba, joining from Reims, with only two Ligue 1 matches played. Hardly the most encouraging CV for short-term success, right? Wrong. Kevin Fernandes profiles the latest PortuGOAL Figure of the Week.

Perfect replacement

In nine matches, Bamba has erased the memory of Gbane as a fundamental figure in Gil’s fight for survival, proving himself to possibly even be an upgrade.

Bamba’s anticipation and athleticism was showcased as Gil Vicente snatched a late goal to practically condemn Farense to the relegation playoffs at best, while the Gilistas now sit eight points above 16th place (the relegation playoff position) with three fixtures remaining. It was yet another complete performance from the Ivorian, who scored the winner in stoppage time.

Rapid rise from obscurity to top-tier football

Mohamed Aboubakar Ben Mondesir Bamba was born in 2004 in Vavoua in west-central Ivory Coast. His origins in football are unclear, with his earliest record dating to ES Bafing in 2023/24, the side he represented before moving to Reim’s B team, competing in National 3 (France’s fifth tier).

Fellow French sides were monitoring Bamba due to his impressive physical stature (standing at 1.88m), his rapid evolution at Reims and overall high potential, but Gil Vicente got there first in a surgical, circumstantial acquisition.

Mohamed Bamba is contracted to the Barcelos outfit until 2027; however, many already predict that his departure will result in more revenue than Gbane’s.

Huge potential

Current Gil Vicente manager César Peixoto said the following about the player after his starting debut against Estrela da Amadora: “He has quality, room for growth and can help us a lot.”

‘Super Bamba’ is becoming increasingly recognised for his suitability for that aforementioned hybrid role, having the defensive presence coupled with solid ball playing, secure in possession and surprisingly refined to assume responsibility in the first phases of build-up.

Bamba’s numbers for duelling are relatively poor, but he has very strong numbers for tackles, interceptions and ball recoveries. Bamba’s range of influence is lesser than Gbane’s, but he compensates with his potential, technical capacity and composure on the ball.

A player with little over 10 top-flight appearances is exhibiting high potential while adapting to the level with relative ease.

Mohamed Bamba is one to watch out for and a worthy PortuGOAL Figure of the Week.