Brima Mazzola Kamara

Brima Mazzola Kamara, a name synonymous with football excellence in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast, left an indelible mark in African football; thus, registering his name among the greatest of all times in African football. The 'wizard of the side-lines' as an Ivorian journalist described him, earned his middle name after the Italian wizard, Sandro Mazzola. The Ivorian press decorated him with superlatives such as “Prolific goal scorer from the banks of the Rokel River” and “Africa Sports goal-scoring machine”.

Brima Mazzola Kamara attended the Government Technical Secondary School and later moved to the east, where he continued his educational drive at St. Helena Secondary School in the early 70s. Mazzola began hitting the limelight while playing for the Congo Market-based first-division football team, Western Rangers in the early 70s. His dribbling excellence and goal-scoring ability whipped up offers from popular clubs like Mighty Blackpool, East End Lions, and Ports Authority among others, but he preferred Real Republicans Football Club, where he won the OAU Cup and the FA Cup in 1980 and was crowned ‘Best Player in 1980’.

It was in the All-Africa Games in 1976 that the goal machine had his first call-up to the national A’ team and though the Nigerians bullied the inexperienced Sierra Leone side, the young talent was, however, able to showcase his qualities to the admiration of all.