Resident of FC Diambars throughout his youth, Mikayil Faye left Senegal for Croatia in February 2023. He played 13 games in the second division, confirming his status as one of the great hopes of African soccer. Less than six months later, FC Barcelona signed the 1.86m left-hander. With Barça Atlètic, the name given to FCB's B Team, he quickly made a name for himself and played 35 games, always under the watchful eye of numerous European observers.
I had the opportunity to speak with Ousmane Dembélé and Lovro Maje ; they both told me that this was the perfect club to keep progressing and that everything would work out well.
In search of playing time to continue to blossom at the highest level, he chose Brittany “because Stade Rennais is a great French club. It has a reputation for bringing out the best in young players like me. I'm very proud to be joining Rennes,” comments Mikayil. “I had the opportunity to talk to Ousmane Dembélé, when I took part in the 2023 preparation camp with Barcelona, and also Lovro Majer, who gave me some advice when I was in Croatia. They both told me that this was the perfect club for me to continue progressing and that everything would go well.”
Mikayil has already proved that he can adapt to a number of different systems, playing as a central defender in a 3, 4 or piston formation. Praised for his athleticism and ability to get things moving again, the Sédhiou native honored his first cap with the Lions of Teranga last March with a 3-0 victory for Senegal over Gabon, and a spectacular goal to boot, with former Rennes glory Ismaïla Sarr, who was not yet 20 when he joined Rennes, at his side to celebrate.
Degemer mat Mikayil !
Olivier Cloarec, Executive President - General Manager of Stade Rennais F.C. :
« It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Mikayil to SRFC, a player courted by many clubs. Once again, it was his talent, technical qualities and state of mind that motivated our choice. The players who joined us in the summer have blended seamlessly into Julien Stéphan's squad, where the team spirit is paramount. His arrival is in keeping with this philosophy. »
Frederic Massara, Sporting Director of Stade Rennais F.C. :
« Mikayil's profile is very interesting. He's a quality defender and a player of the future who'll be able to show off his skills to the Rennes public very quickly. »
Mikayil Faye
Age: 20
Born: July 14, 2004, in Sédhiou, Senegal
Position: Central Defender
Height: 1.86m
Foot: Left
Developed at Diambars FC
Senegals International: 1 appearance
Professional Career :
NK Kustošija Zagreb (february 2023-july 2023) : 14 matchs (1 goal, 1 assist)
FC Barcelona Atlètic (july 2023-july 2024) : 35 matchs (4 goal)
