Camavinga began his career inLigue 1 withRennes, making his senior debut at the age of 16, and quickly established himself as a regular first-team player. In 2021, he signed for Real Madrid for a fee of €31 million, and over the following seasons, he helped the club win twoLa Liga–Champions League doubles in2022 and2024.
Born in Angola, to Congolese refugees, Camavinga moved to France at a young age, eventually representing the country atunder-21 level. He made his first senior appearance for the France national team in 2020 at the age of 17, becoming the nation's youngest debutant in over a century. He was part of the French squad that finished runners-up at the2022 FIFA World Cup.
Camavinga was born in arefugee camp inCabinda, Angola in 2002. His parents, Celestino Camavinga[7](Congolese born in Cabinda[8]) and Sofia Simão (also born in Cabinda[9]), had fled the civil war inCongo before his birth to a refugee camp inMiconge.[10][11][12] He has five siblings. His family moved to France when he was two.[13] They eventually settled inFougères, where he grew up. He didjudo for a time before giving it up to focus solely on football. In 2013, the Camavingas' house was burnt down, destroying most of the family's property. Camavinga stated that this was a source of motivation that pushed him to pursue a career in football and help his family.[14]
Camavinga joinedRennes' youth system when he was 11. He signed his first professional contract on 14 December 2018, at the age of 16 years and one month, becoming the youngest ever professional for the club at that time.[17] He made his professional debut for Rennes in a 3–3Ligue 1 tie withAngers on 6 April 2019,[18] becoming the youngest player to ever play for Rennes' first team,[19] at 16 years and six months old.
On 18 August 2019, Camavinga recorded an assist and was awarded the man of the match award in a 2–1 win againstParis Saint-Germain.[20] Hence, he became the youngest player to make an assist in Ligue 1, aged 16 years and 281 days.[21] He then won theUNFP Player of the Month award that month, to be the youngest player to achieve this feat.[22] He scored his first goal for Rennes in a 1–0 win againstLyon on 15 December 2019, in the 89th minute of the game.[23]
On 31 August 2021,Real Madrid announced the signing of Camavinga until 30 June 2027.[25] He made his debut in a 5–2 win overCelta Vigo on 12 September, in which he scored a goal shortly after coming off the bench.[26] Three days later, he made his Champions League debut for Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute forLuka Modrić in the 80th minute and assistingRodrygo for the winner againstInter Milan.[27]
On 7 November 2023, Real Madrid announced the extension of Camavinga's contract, which is to remain effective until 30 June 2029.[30]
He missed the first official match of the 2024–25 season, the2024 UEFA Super Cup, after injuring his left knee in training on the eve of the match and was expected to be out for several weeks with an internal sprain to the knee.[31][32] On 2 October 2024, Camavinga returned to action againstLille in the2024–25 UEFA Champions League.[33]
Camavinga endured a difficult season, marked by a decline in performance and reduced playing time. Less influential in Real Madrid's midfield, he was gradually relegated to a secondary role byCarlo Ancelotti. Occasionally lining up at left-back due to absences in that area, he was unable to rediscover his best form. His season came to a premature end on 23 April 2025, when he suffered a total rupture of his left adductor tendon during a match againstGetafe. The injury would rule him out for several months, forcing him to miss theCopa del Rey final, theUEFA Nations League Finals, and theFIFA Club World Cup.[34][35]
On 31 October 2019, Camavinga obtainedFrench nationality, benefiting from the collective effect connected to thenaturalization of his father.[37][38] Until then, Camavinga had been a national of the Republic of the Congo.[39] Six days later, he was selected to representFrance's under-21 team for games against Georgia and Switzerland, afterMatteo Guendouzi was called up to the senior team.[40]
On 27 August 2020, Camavinga was called up to play onFrance's senior team afterPaul Pogba was sidelined by a positiveCOVID-19 test. He became, in the process, the youngest player to be called up to the French senior team sinceRené Gérard in 1932, who was only 17 years, nine months and 17 days old.[41] On 8 September, he debuted in a 4–2 win againstCroatia in theUEFA Nations League, replacingN'Golo Kanté midway through the second half.[42] In doing so he became the youngest player to play for the France national team, followingMaurice Gastiger in 1914 at 17 years, nine months, and 29 days old.[43]
On 7 October 2020, Camavinga made his first start for France in a 7–1 win againstUkraine where he scored his first international goal, opening the scoring with an overhead kick. This made him the youngest goalscorer for France sinceMaurice Gastiger in 1914.[44]
Camavinga played twice at the2022 FIFA World Cup, in which reigning champions France finished as runners-up in Qatar. He played as a left-back in the final group game, a 1–0 loss toTunisia in which managerDidier Deschamps rested his regular players ahead of the knockout stage.[47] In thefinal, he came on after 71 minutes in place ofThéo Hernandez as the French were losing 2–0 toArgentina; the game ended 2–2 after 90 minutes and 3–3 after extra time, as France lost on penalties.[48]
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Ukraine
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