There will have been many more successful players at Wolves than Mo Camara. Many who made way more appearances than Mo Camara. And many who, and he would gladly recognise this himself, had more technical ability than Mo Camara.
But were there any that were more entertaining than Mo Camara? Now we’re talking.
Swashbuckling is a word which could have been invented for the marauding left back whose Molineux stay at the turn of the Millennium was sadly short, but often sweet.
One of the game’s mavericks whose jet-heeled and scintillating pace could take him past an opponent within the blink of an eye. And who, despite boasting an excellent left foot, perhaps wasn’t always completely sure where an attempted pass or cross would ultimately end up.
Camara was a great entertainer. A footballer almost from a bygone age. But at the same time, that shouldn’t detract from his overall ability and a career which brought over 400 senior appearances in France, England and also Scotland, with the giants of Celtic.
And a career which, with a fairer wind, and without Wolves’ late-season squandering of a Championship promotion spot in 2001/02, would surely have brought many more Premier League appearances than a solitary one for Derby which wasn’t particularly auspicious – a 6-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield.
It is 25 years this summer since Camara joined Wolves. And next week, he turns 50. A perfect symmetry, and befitting of the fact he has now settled in the area and, for the last eight years, has been running the popular ‘Chill’ bar on Tettenhall’s High Street.
He will no doubt mark his latest landmark in much the same way as he played football, and in much the same way as he lives his life. With happiness, entertainment, and an infectious smile.
“Ah mate,” he begins, showing he has indeed acquired plenty of Wolverhampton ‘lingo’ down the years.
“You have to smile, don’t you?
“Everything I do in life I try to do my best – always giving 100 percent – and always with a smile.
“You only have the one chance at a career in football, and one chance at life, so you have to make the most of it.
“Like everyone, I have tough moments, we all do, but I think it’s about enjoying life as much as possible.”
Life for Camara began in Guinea before his early footballing dreams were developed at the Beauvais academy in France, where he also launched his professional career before moving to Le Havre, overlapping for a season with fellow future Wolf, Ludo Pollet.
There were loan spells with Troyes and Lille before he came across to play a couple of trial games for Wolves, impressing to the extent that he made a permanent £100,000 move, two-and-a-half decades ago this summer.
And kicked off something of a mutual appreciation society between himself and the Molineux faithful.
- Express & Star subscribers can read the full feature here – https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2025/06/19/swashbuckling-the-wolves-entertainer-mo-camara-who-left-his-mark-at-molineux/
