How Manchester City star who escaped terrorism in Africa can challenge Erling Haaland at Manchester City

For Mahamadou Sangaré , it was all about football. Growing up in Bamako, Mali – one of West Africa’s most dangerous places – the making of such a talented boy didn’t come without its risks.

Bamako is the capital of Mali and houses around 3.18 million people, a tally that has nearly doubled since the mid-2000s. However, there is very little reason to stay in these parts as Sangaré and his family, alongside a multitude of others, know all too well.

A high prevalence of terrorism and kidnapping across the whole of Bamako diminishes the beauty of such a vibrant place sat snug on the banks of the Niger River and for some, escapism can be deemed a gift and a curse for that very reason.

There was a rare chance though for Sangaré, who now represents Manchester City , to make that escape but on the condition that he gives his very best to the opportunity provided to him by his father.

The then-aspiring footballer would eventually move to Cergy, France – located about 30 kilometres northwest of Paris – where he was granted a trial with Racing Club de France, who are now competing in the Championnat National 3.

Though the trial was successful, it was merely the foundational step in a career defined by thrilling potential with his professional story now waiting to be written. Equally, his short stint at the club was an important step, as the striker recalled in conversation with France Bleu .

“When I came the first day, people were saying, ‘He’s Malian, he’s just arrived, we’ll see what he’s got’,” Sangaré said. “I remember my first training session. I gave it my all and people were shocked they said, ‘Wow, he’s really talented’.”

Following his brief spell at Racing Club, Sangaré moved to Montrouge FC 92 in 2022 for another brief spell before a huge breakthrough into the Paris Saint-Germain youth setup came his way.

The PSG academy is an incubator for world-class talent, a system so demanding it has historically pushed out phenomenal prospects like Xavi Simons, Kingsley Coman and Christopher Nkunku – though none of whom have arguably gone on to fulfil their respective potential.

Still, Sangaré was next on that list in proving that he has the mindset and the goals to thrive in the same cut-throat environment – which he did, scoring 42 times in 46 games for the PSG U19s.

The striker enjoyed the UEFA Youth League particularly, evident in his eight goals and two assists across six games for the Parisiens last season; in total, the 18-year-old contributed 11 goals in as many games for PSG and Manchester City combined in the competition.

Last year, Sangaré was creating new standards for his PSG U19 teammates who, amusingly, were two years above his age of 17. He often found greater form than his peers, finishing the 2023-24 campaign with 32 goals in all competitions.

Furthermore, after PSG failed to take more than a point from their opening three games in the Youth League in 2024, the French giants overcame Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich where superstar performances from Sangaré merited back-to-back hat-tricks, including one scored in a rapid 17 minutes.

Sangaré can operate with devastating effect in any position along the attacking line but possesses the natural attributes to be a lethal, commanding striker – as he has shown in his performances for PSG’s youth teams.

Reflecting the profile of an elite modern number nine, he is a high-volume shooter but impressively boasts an accuracy percentage with increasing rates, possessing both precision and power in front of goal.

Sangaré’s dominance didn’t go unnoticed in Paris and it certainly isn’t going unnoticed in England with Manchester City – as he was nominated alongside teammate Seb Naylor for October’s Premier League 2 Player of the Month award, cementing his status as one of Europe’s top youth forwards.

In October, Sangaré scored thrice in Premier League 2 , first against Leicester City before striking a brace against Reading just six days later. In fairness, the Frenchman hasn’t stopped contributing since he arrived in England five months ago with his figures in the EFL Trophy mirroring those of other competitions.

Sangaré’s solo efforts yielded three goals and one assist against Rotherham United and Oldham Athletic combined as well. He has also been frequently praised for his physicality alongside his goal output, with his most prolific performance for City coming in the UEFA Youth League against AS Monaco, wherein he grabbed a treble and supplied an assist.

So, does the France youth international have the potential to one day compete with Erling Haaland? Though it’s very early in the youngster’s career, there’s a tangible excitement around his potential that when watching him play, begs that exact question.

With his strength, heading ability and lethal left foot, Sangaré shows signs of the Norway international, who has scored 32 goals for club and country this season, but at his earlier stages – and without a towering 6’5 height.

It’s important to not get carried away with comparisons like this, with Haaland being compared himself against the game’s greatest ever – such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But the way that Sangaré has demonstrated a rare, almost singular focus on goalscoring, combining his searing pace with an innate ability to find space in the box, suggests that he is one of the few emerging talents with the profile and pedigree to potentially rival Haaland’s achievements in the next generation.