Senegalese miracle: Two months ago, an amateur, last night a brace scorer on his UCL debut

Yesterday, hardly anyone outside Senegal, the Czech Republic, and a small part of France - excluding scouts who have notepads full of relatively unknown talents - knew who Youssoupha Mbodji was. As of last night, he's one of the top stories in European football!

Although a defender, Mbodji scored a brace (?!) for his club, Slavia Prague, in their opening UEFA Champions League clash against the Norwegian Bodo/Glimt and caught the eye of many fans, scouts, tacticians... However, two goals on his UCL debut were only a crown on his unbelievable and inspiring story.

Born in Kunkujang, The Gambia, Mbodji made his first football steps in Senegal - whose citizenship he holds - in the renowned PSG Academy, ASC Doole, and ASC Aspa. However, as for most young players from Africa, the move to Europe, the focal point of the football world, was as difficult as it gets.

In the absence of a better opportunity, Mbodji joined the French fifth-tier side Thonon Evian, where, far from any spotlight, he could only dream about a professional career. Nevertheless, hard work and dedication always pay off, even if you are deep in the "amateur football sea."

Earlier this year, scouts of the Czech second-flight team Vysocina Jihlava spotted the 21-year-old Senegalese and immediately started working on his transfer. On July 1, Mbodji officially joined the new team, signing his first professional contract. But that was just the beginning of his remarkable journey and meteoric rise.

Mbodji in action against Bodo/Glimt (©AFP)

He debuted for Jihlava on July 18, made six appearances during the following month, and even scored one goal. And then - a shock! The 21-time champions of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia and UCL participants, Slavia Prague, splurged €1.2 million and brought him to their ranks!

On August 20, the transfer was finalized, Mbodji signed a five-year deal and became a unique case in football, going from an amateur to a UCL player in less than two months!

The defender clocked only a minute in three league games for Slavia, but the Prague side's boss, Jindrich Trpisovsky, felt that yesterday's Champions League clash against Bodo/Glimt was Mbodji's time to shine.

He made one colossal mistake midway through the opening half and conceded a penalty shortly after the break, but the custodian Jindrich Stanek saved him on both occasions.

"He'll help me in other situations. We all help each other," said the keeper via Sport.cz after the game.

Nevertheless, even those minor setbacks didn't shake Mbodji's will, who broke the deadlock in the 23rd and doubled his team's lead in the 74th minute. Unfortunately for him, the visitors managed to salvage a draw thanks to the last-minute equalizer, but the general impression was that the Senegalese was the man of the match.

"His performance tonight, given his previous experience, was phenomenal," his manager Trpisovsky stated after the match via Transfermarkt.

Speaking to the club's official website following his unveiling, Mbodji admitted he looked after another Senegalese defender, El Hadji Malick Diouf, who had moved to West Ham from Slavia just a month before his compatriot arrived.

"His journey is a great inspiration for me. Like him, I started at Evian and I hope I can follow a similar path," disclosed Mbodji via Sport.cz.

He was practically brought to replace the man who made six appearances for the Lions of Teranga and for whom the Hammers splurged €22 million, and so far, he's done a superb job.

Finally, the transfer to the Czech giants' ranks was a shock for Mbodji himself.

"I never dreamed it would be so quick," he said once he was unveiled at Fortuna Arena, as Sport.cz reported.

The best way to start UCL title defence? Show no mercy at all

What would he have said if he knew he'd bag a brace on his UCL debut?

Yesterday an amateur, today a new African football star. Mbodji never got even close to some of Senegal's youth categories, and now, he's a potential international.

Dreams do come true if you believe and work hard. This man is an example, an inspiration, and proof that miracles happen.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 1

Tuesday

Athletic Bilbao - Arsenal 0-2 (0-0)

/Martinelli 72, Trossard 87/

PSV - St. Gilloise 1-3 (0-2)

/Van Bommel 90 - David 9 pen, Ait El Hadj 39, Mac Allister 81/

Benfica - Qarabag 2-3 (2-1)

/Barrenechea 6, Pavlidis 16 - Andrade 30, Duran 48, Kashchuk 86/

Juventus - Dortmund 4-4 (0-0)

/Yildiz 64, Vlahovic 68, 90+4, Kelly 90+6 - Adeyemi 52, Nmecha 65, Couto 75, Bensebaini 83 pen/

Real Madrid - Olympique Marseille 2-1 (1-1)

/Mbappe 29 pen, 81 pen - Weah 22/

Tottenham - Villarreal 1-0 (1-0)

/Luiz Junior 4 og/

Wednesday

Olympiacos - Paphos 0-0

Slavia Prague - Bodo 2-2 (1-0)

/Mbodji 23, 74 - Bassi 78, Fet 90/

Ajax - Inter 0-2 (0-1)

/Thuram 42, 47/

Bayern - Chelsea 3-1 (2-1)

/Chalobah 20 og, Kane 27 pen, 63 - Palmer 29/

Liverpool - Atletico Madrid 3-2 (2-1)

/Robertson 4, Salah 6, Van Dijk 90+2 - Llorente 45+3, 81/

PSG - Atalanta 4-0 (2-0)

/Marquinhos 3, Khvicha 39, Mendes 51, Ramos 90+1/

Thursday

19.45: (2.80) Club Brugge (3.40) Monaco (2.50)

19.45: (3.20) Copenhagen (3.40) Leverkusen (2.25)

22.00: (2.10) Eintr.Frankfurt (3.50) Galatasaray (3.40)

22.00: (1.70) Man.City (3.60) Napoli (5.30)

22.00: (3.15) Newcastle (3.50) Barcelona (2.20)

22.00: (1.08) Sporting (12.0) Kairat Almaty (25.0)

***odds are subject to change***