- As a teenager, Mamady Cissé was selected by an academy in Guinea and travelled to Nigeria with the aim of fulfilling his footballing dream: just two years later, his talent took him to Atlético Mineiro.
- The Guinean went through a rapid adaptation process, supported by the club, and is now one of the most promising names in the 'Galo' squad set to compete in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana quarter-finals.
There are almost 5,000 kilometres between Cissé's first home in Conakry — the capital of Guinea — and the metropolis of Belo Horizonte, in the geographical heart of Brazil, which quickly became the place that welcomed and embraced him as though destiny had always intended for him to arrive there.
Mamady Cissé's story is one of meteoric growth, filled with different elements that enrich the young midfielder's journey to the present day, where he has established himself as an important member of the Atlético Mineiro side managed by Argentine coach Eduardo Domínguez.
"The first difficulty we encountered was that he did not speak Portuguese. We immediately hired Benjamín Lelaid as an interpreter to accompany him on a daily basis and teach him the language," explains Luiz Carlos Azeve, Mineiro's Youth Football Director, in an interview with GALO TV. "I remember going to pick him up at the airport. He was a very quiet, very shy boy. In Guinea, he spoke two dialects as well as French, so he is very comfortable in three languages, and that helped him gradually take on another one," says Lelaid.
From his earliest days at Academia Atouga Foot in Conakry, Cissé found in football a passport to the future. "Guinea is a country that really loves football. I lived there with my parents in humble circumstances. I started playing and left school to focus on this 100 per cent. My earliest memories are linked to football, and so are my friendships. The day I was in Nigeria and they told me I was going to Atlético, I was very happy. I found a lot of support here. Benjamín (Lelaid) helped me a lot at the beginning, with 15- or 30-minute lessons so I could gradually learn the language, because when I first arrived I couldn't understand anything," says Cissé.
He joined the club in May 2025 and was integrated into the youth ranks to understand the 'Alvinegro' set-up, experience day-to-day life at a giant of Brazilian football and avoid the difficulties of suddenly adapting to elite-level competition. Nine months later, through hard work and strong performances, he made his first start for the 'Galo', earning his first call-up to the Guinea national team.
His debut for the national side, in a friendly against Togo, did not disappoint: he came on in the 80th minute and six minutes later scored the goal that helped Guinea draw 2-2 at the Prince Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat, the Moroccan capital.
"Our desire was always for his adaptation to be gradual. The first step was for him to understand the culture and our routine, so that this would help his sporting performance," explains Neila Bittencourt, Atlético Mineiro's Social Worker. His ability to adapt to different contexts, environments and challenges comes as no surprise, because those same qualities are what make him stand out on the pitch. Following the break for the FIFA World Cup, Cissé established himself as a regular starter in the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil, while also featuring in both legs against RB Bragantino in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana round of 16. Atlético Mineiro prevailed 3-2 on aggregate and will now face Santos in the next round.
"At first, he had understandable fears; everything was new to him, and that created uncertainty. Those fears turned into confident smiles. Every day he speaks to his family and tells them how things are here. He feels very proud of them and of everything they did for him during his childhood," admits Izabela Bastos, Player Care Coordinator.
Still at such a young age, Cissé crossed the Atlantic Ocean to fulfil one of his dreams: to be happy playing football, just as he was in his earliest memories in Conakry. "None of this is easy for me; I miss my parents. When I can bring them to Brazil, I will. Being able to achieve that and win trophies with Atlético Mineiro are my dreams," Cissé concludes.
