The Resurgence of Kara Mbodji: Training with Union U23s and Looking to the Future

He is one of the known faces of Belgian football in recent years. Kara Mbodji, who moved to Genk (2013-15) but especially to Sporting Anderlecht (2015-2018) with whom he won a Belgian championship title in 2017, is no longer in the spotlight. After three seasons spent in Qatar, the former Senegalese international has been without a club for more than a year. At 34, Kara has no plans to end her career. “I still think I can play two or three seasons at the highest level,” says the man who has recently been training with the Union U23s. Looking forward to a new project…

His arrival at Union B

For several months, Kara Mbodji has been back in Belgium, her second homeland. To keep in shape, the 34-year-old defender has been training for several weeks with the Union U23s who play in national D2.

”I met Thomas Rodrigues, the director of the Union Academy, during my UEFA B training in Mouscron. I asked him if it was possible to train with the Union U23s. Management quickly accepted my request. I participate in daily training, from Tuesday to Friday, without taking part in matches because that is not my objective. Next door, I have a personal fitness trainer with whom I work for an hour and a half every day. It really touched me that a club that plays a leading role in Belgium opened its doors to me so easily. The young people and coach Naïm Aarab welcomed me like family. I play the role of big brother on the team. I have always had a leadership role, it’s a quality that I had in me everywhere I went without even realizing it. The idea is to share my experience with young players and to make them understand the demands of the professional world and the choices that await them tomorrow.”

His physical state

During her career, Kara often encountered knee problems which slowed her progress. From now on, the Senegalese swears that these physical worries are behind him.

Kara Mbodji spent the best years of her career at Anderlecht. ©BELGA

”After my time in Qatar (Editor’s note: from July 2019 to October 2022), I worked daily within my training club in Diambars in Senegal. So I arrived fit in Belgium. When I see that people are asking questions about my physical state, I no longer understand anything about football… I have always been an exemplary professional who invested in his body. Since I left Anderlecht, people have had the idea that my knees were going to prevent me from being myself for the rest of my career. But these knee problems are behind me since 2020 and a lot of work carried out in Qatar. I brought osteopaths, physical trainers and physiotherapists there to work alongside me. People often tend to talk too much but I know myself. It doesn’t hurt me to hear these things about myself, it’s just weird to believe that a player who once hurts his knees can’t heal. If footballers like Ronaldo or Pepe are still at the top at their age, it’s because they work very hard. I also have a professional lifestyle which allows me to be in good physical condition. End my career? No, I refuse to stop because I still feel good physically. “

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“Agents can quickly disappear when there is no more money to be made. »

His plans for the future

Officially without a club, Kara is not aiming for the Union first team. The Brussels management also explained that this was not an option for its professional group. In the meantime, he hopes to quickly find a new challenge in Belgium or elsewhere.

“I didn’t come to the Union with the idea of ​​working well and then joining the first team. But if a Belgian D1A club makes me an offer, I will accept it because I miss the competition. The financial aspect no longer motivates me, it is the sporting aspect which now takes precedence. At the start of the season, I had contact with a D1B club that I do not want to name. But given my career, I can’t afford to accept everything… It’s certain that it’s more difficult to find a club when you work without an agent. Most clubs don’t even know I’m available. I don’t want to generalize but agents are always there when things are going well then can disappear overnight when they understand that there is no more money to be made with the player. I have always been honest and upright and I could die for someone with whom I have created a trusting relationship. When people don’t behave the same way towards you, it’s difficult to continue working with them. I know I’ve always had a strong personality but football is a world of sharks in which I don’t find myself. You can’t always tell your truth.”

Kara Mbodji was champion with Anderlecht in 2017. ©BELGA

Son Sporting d’Anderlecht

Even though he now wears the Union tracksuit in training, Kara Mbodji is a Mauve in his blood. The central defender played 114 matches with Sporting, including Champions League and Europa League matches. With a moment of glory: the title hung at the end of the 2016-2017 season, the club’s latest.

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“The Union and Anderlecht will play for the title until the end.”

“At the start of 2023, I trained with the Anderlecht U23s thanks to the coach at the time, Guillaume Gillet. The management explained to me that I had to have authorization from Fifa to play with the team, but I was a free player, so I did not need this authorization… Well, Anderlecht remains the family even if everything changed there with few people I still know. There is still Amuzu, Verschaeren and my compatriot N’Diaye. I still live near the Anderlecht stadium and I went to the stadium once for the match against Club Brugge. Sporting has had a very good start to the season and is the most consistent team alongside the Union. It makes me happy to see them back at their best, but there is still a second part of the season during which we will have to continue to stay the course. The truth will be revealed in the playoffs, but the two clubs will play for the title until the end. ”

2023-12-16 06:12:00
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