Ilay Camara

Ilay Alioune Gino Rian Camara (born 18 January 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a full-back or winger for Belgian Pro League club Anderlecht. Born in Belgium, he plays for the Senegal national team.

Club career Born in Bonheiden in Antwerp Province, Camara began playing as a youth for before joining OH Leuven. In 2019, he joined R.S.C. Anderlecht. In February 2023, while playing for the reserve team of Les Mauves in the second-tier Challenger Pro League, the 20-year-old signed his first professional contract, lasting until June 2025.

On 6 September 2023, Camara joined Belgian Pro League side R.W.D. Molenbeek on a three-year deal in a free transfer. He arrived to cover the injury of Sambu Mansoni. He played 28 games, scoring three goals and assisting five, as his team were relegated; on 26 November he was sent off in a 2–1 loss on his return to Anderlecht.

In June 2024, Camara was linked with a transfer to three clubs of the EFL Championship – Coventry City, Preston North End and Burnley – for a fee of £1.5-2 million. Stade de Reims of the French Ligue 1 were also interested. Instead, on 13 August he was loaned to Standard Liège of the Belgian top flight, with the option to purchase.

In April 2025, Standard signed Camara on a permanent four-year deal, before selling him back to Anderlecht on 5 July for a fee reported by RTBF as between €4 million and €4.5 million. He signed a contract to last until 2030. Having missed the start of the season through injury, he made his debut on 3 August with an assist in a 2–0 win away to Cercle Brugge, and four days later on his European debut he set up the opening goal for Nilson Angulo in a 3–0 home win over Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol in UEFA Conference League qualifiers. He was substituted from that game after 30 minutes and was ruled out with a hamstring injury.

International career Camara was born in Belgium to a Senegalese father and Belgian mother and holds dual citizenship. He is a former youth international for Belgium.

On 13 March 2025, Camara was called up to the senior Senegal national team for a set of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. Eight days later, his request to switch international allegiance to Senegal was approved by FIFA.

Career statistics Club

International