BRICE SAMBA: CONGO’S NEXT RED DEVIL?
Brice Samba may soon swap the blue of France’s youth teams for the red of Congo. Regularly called up by Claude Le Roy, the coach of the Congolese national team, the 20-year-old Olympique de Marseille goalkeeper is reportedly leaning toward representing his country of origin in the upcoming 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Though capped at U18 and U19 levels by France, Samba has yet to break through at senior level—still serving as backup to Steve Mandanda at Marseille. According to L’Équipe, Samba has given a positive response to Congo’s pre-selection list, pending final confirmation.
Le Roy, determined to bring the promising shot-stopper into the fold, has been in close contact with Samba for weeks. The legendary coach sees Samba as a long-term solution between the posts for the Red Devils—just like his father, who was once a national team icon in the same position.
For Samba, who joined OM in January 2013 after developing at Le Havre, this opportunity could offer valuable international experience and a chance to step out of Mandanda’s shadow. The 2015 AFCON, set to begin with Congo facing host nation Equatorial Guinea, may very well be the stage where Brice Samba begins writing a new chapter—this time in red.
