*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:55, 26 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:54, 14 October 2024 (UTC)
Camavinga began his career in Ligue 1 with Rennes, making his senior debut at the age of 16, and quickly established himself as a regular first-team player. In 2021, he signed for Real Madrid for a fee of €31 million, winning a La Liga and UEFA Champions League double in his first season.
Born in Angola, Camavinga moved to France at a young age, eventually representing the country at under-21 level. He made his first senior appearance for the France national team in 2020 at the age of 17, becoming the nation's youngest debutant in over a century. He was part of the French squad that finished runners-up at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Early life
Camavinga was born in a refugee camp in Cabinda, Angola in 2002. His parents, Celestino Camavinga (born in Cabinda[7]) and Sofia Simão (also born in Cabinda[8]), had fled the civil war in Republic of the Congo before his birth to a refugee camp in Miconge.[9][10] He has five siblings. His family moved to France when he was two.[11] They eventually settled in Fougères, where he grew up. He did judo for a time before giving it up to focus solely on football. In 2013, the Camavingas' house was burnt down, destroying most of the family's property. Camavinga stated that this was a source of motivation that pushed him to pursue a career in football and help his family.[12]
Camavinga joined Rennes' youth system when he was 11. He signed his first professional contract on 14 December 2018, at the age of 16 years and one month, becoming the youngest ever professional for the club at that time.[15] He made his professional debut for Rennes in a 3–3 Ligue 1 tie with Angers on 6 April 2019,[16] becoming the youngest player to ever play for Rennes' first team,[17] at 16 years and six months old.
On 18 August 2019, Camavinga recorded an assist and was awarded the man of the match award in a 2–1 win against Paris Saint-Germain.[18] Hence, he became the youngest player to make an assist in Ligue 1, aged 16 years and 281 days.[19] He then won the UNFP Player of the Month award that month, to be the youngest player to achieve this feat.[20] He scored his first goal for Rennes in a 1–0 win against Lyon on 15 December 2019, in the 89th minute of the game.[21]
On 31 August 2021, Real Madrid announced the signing of Camavinga until 30 June 2027.[23] He made his debut in a 5–2 win over Celta Vigo on 12 September, in which he scored a goal shortly after coming off the bench.[24] Three days later, he made his Champions League debut for Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute for Luka Modrić in the 80th minute and assisting Rodrygo for the winner against Inter Milan.[25]
On 7 November 2023, Real Madrid announced the extension of Camavinga's contract, which is to remain effective until 30 June 2029.[28]
He missed the first official match of the 2024–25 season, the 2024 UEFA Super Cup, after injuring his left knee in training on the eve of the match and was expected to be out for several weeks with an internal sprain to the knee.[29][30] On 2 October 2024, Camavinga returned to action against Lille in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League.[citation needed]
International career
On 31 October 2019, Camavinga obtained French nationality, benefiting from the collective effect connected to the naturalization of his father.[31][32] Until then, Camavinga had been a national of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[33] Six days later, he was selected to represent France's under-21 team for games against Georgia and Switzerland, after Matteo Guendouzi was called up to the senior team.[34]
On 27 August 2020, Camavinga was called up to play on France's senior team after Paul Pogba was sidelined by a positive COVID-19 test. He became, in the process, the youngest player to be called up to the French senior team since René Gérard in 1932, who was only 17 years, nine months and 17 days old.[35] On 8 September, he debuted in a 4–2 win against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League, replacing N'Golo Kanté midway through the second half.[36] In doing so he became the youngest player to play for the France national team, following Maurice Gastiger in 1914 at 17 years, nine months, and 29 days old.[37]
On 7 October 2020, Camavinga made his first start for France in a 7–1 win against Ukraine where he scored his first international goal, opening the scoring with an overhead kick. This made him the youngest goalscorer for France since Maurice Gastiger in 1914.[38]
Camavinga played twice at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, in which reigning champions France finished as runners-up in Qatar. He played as a left-back in the final group game, a 1–0 loss to Tunisia in which manager Didier Deschamps rested his regular players ahead of the knockout stage.[41] In the final, he came on after 71 minutes in place of Théo Hernandez as the French were losing 2–0 to Argentina; the game ended 2–2 after 90 minutes and 3–3 after extra time, as France lost on penalties.[42]
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