Lamine Diatta

Club career

Born in Dakar, Senegal, Diatta moved to France when he was only one year old.

Before moving to Olympique Lyon in 2004, Diatta played 142 games for Stade Rennais, scoring nine goals in that time. Before his time at Rennes, he was at Marseille, but never actually played a game for them. Diatta's first club was Toulouse FC. He spent one season there and played 25 games without scoring. In his first year (2004–05) with Lyon he played 19 games. During his second year (2005–06) at Lyon, he was troubled with injury and only makes 13 appearances also without goals. In August 2006, he left Lyon on free transfer in search for regular team football, settling at AS Saint-Étienne.

On 7 March 2008, after a week's trial at Newcastle United, Diatta agreed to a short-term deal until the end of the season after buying out his contract at Beşiktaş J.K. The deal was finally confirmed by the club on 14 March after a week of confusion. He made his first team debut for Newcastle as a substitute in a Premier League match against Reading on 5 April but was released on 15 May.

Diatta joined Stoke City on trial in January 2009. On 20 March, however, he signed for Hamilton Academical on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

After just one month, on 25 April, the 33-year-old Senegalese defender left Hamilton to join Al-Ahli Sports Club in Qatar.

Without a club since his release from Al-Ahli Sports Club he participated in trials in Singapore without being snapped up by a club.

He then joined Étoile Sportive du Sahel of the CLP-1 in Tunisia.

In December 2011 he signed a short-term deal with Championship team Doncaster Rovers, where fellow countrymen El Hadji Diouf and Habib Beye also played for the club.

International career

Being the Senegal's captain, he has played 71 games for his national side, scoring four goals. He also played in all of Senegal's matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Style of play

Diatta was the holding force in the centre of Senegal's defence, and is also tough in the air, which provides a threat in attacking set-pieces.

Honours

Lyon

• Ligue 1: 2004–05, 2005–06
• Trophée des Champions: 2005

Senegal

• Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2002

References

References

1. {{Hugman. 22831
2. (7 March 2008). "Magpies seal Diatta deal". Sky Sports.
3. (14 March 2008). "Diatta Determined To Help Toon Fight". Newcastle United F.C..
4. (5 January 2009). "Defender Diatta on trial at Stoke". [[BBC Sport]].
5. (20 March 2009). "Diatta makes Accies move". Sky Sports.
6. Jackson, Keith. (19 March 2009). "Exclusive: Hamilton set to sign Senegal World Cup skipper". Daily Record.
7. (29 April 2009). "Diatta joins Qatar side Al Ahli". [[BBC Sport]].
8. "Missed Opportunity AGAIN....". bolasepako.com.
9. (7 December 2011). "Diatta deal completed". Doncaster Rovers F.C..
10. (2 January 2008). "Diatta and Besiktas part company". BBC Sport.
11. Mamrud, Robert. (22 January 2015). "Lamine Diatta - International Appearances". [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]].
12. Traynor, Mikey. (23 July 2015). "The Superb Senegal Squad From The 2002 World Cup - Where Are They Now?". Balls.
13. (11 February 2002). "Cameroon are hot from the spot". The Guardian.