Brice SAMBA

Born in Linzolo, in the Republic of the Congo in 1994, Brice Samba began his football career in France, aged 12, with Le Havre. He continued his development with their Academy, reaching the Reserves in 2011. There, he would spend two years, without ever achieving the breakthrough into the First Team. In 2013, he signed for Olympique de Marseille, where he made his full debut in the French Cup in January 2014 in a 2-0 win against Reims, achieving a clean sheet in his first game as a professional. That game would end up being his only appearance in a Marseille shirt, however. In July 2015, he was loaned out to Nancy, but Samba only made two fleeting appearances before signing on a permanent deal with Stade Malherbe de Caen in 2017. The goalkeeper finally saw some regular action in Normandy, playing 43 matches in his two seasons at the club. In the summer of 2019, he gained his first experience of football on the other side of the English Channel, signing initially as cover for the then first-choice keeper Muric. But after a number of errors, Muric was replaced on a permanent basis by Samba. After making his debut in the EFL Cup against Fleetwood in August 2019, his performances earned him glowing praise. In November 2019, he was voted Player of the Month in the Championship by the fans, and in September 2020, he was selected by his fellow professionals in the Championship Team of the Year at the PFA Awards. In the Championship Play-Off Semi-Finals in May 2022, Samba pulled off three saves in the penalty shootout against Sheffield United, and despite having to leave the field injured in the 90th Minute of the Play-Off Final at Wembley, he still helped Forest to promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years in a 2-1 victory over Fulham. Having made 125 appearances for the East Midlands' side, Samba opted to miss out on a chance to play in the English Premier League to return to France, and he signed for Racing Club de Lens in July 2022. His first season with the club from the North of France was a success. He conceded the fewest goals in Ligue 1, and his performances earned him a spot in the LFP Team of the Year, and he was also voted Goalkeeper of the Year for Ligue 1. Lens went on to finish second in the league on 84 points, just one point behind Champions, Paris Saint Germain, and thus qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. Dual-national, holding both a French and Congolese passport, Samba chose to represent France, and made his international bow in the 2024 European Championship Qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands. On 8th January 2024, Samba was enticed by Stade Rennais' overtures, and swapped Lens for Brittany after making 85 appearances for them, signing a four-and-a-half year deal worth 14 Million Euros (excluding bonuses) with the Red and Blacks.