Profile: Instant super star and new Scorpion Yankuba Minteh

Born in Bakoteh Yankuba Minteh is a teenage sensation who only four months ago was playing amateur football in the streets of The Gambia.
He became a full-fledged first team member for his Danish Superliga side Odense Boldklub at the end of last month and in less than three weeks, he’s now set to become a full international for The Gambia.
Minteh, whose parents originate from Keneba in the Lower River Region, started playing in the streest of Bakoteh. He would later join Bakoteh United Football Academy who loaned him to Steve Biko Football Club where he caught the attention of ex-U-17 Coach Abdoulie Bojang. He was part of the last U-17 team in the WAFU championship and would go onto trials with Odense who offered him a youth contract for their academy team in August this year.
The 18-year-old’s development has been exceptional in the two and half months he spent with the OB reserves. He got off to a lightning start by scoring in his first two starts. He had a dream debut against FC Copenhagen in the Superliga when he scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over the champions. He then started the next three games in October and provided two assists. He has since started all of Odense’s next games and was voted as the Club’s Player of the Month for October.
Known for his dribbling skills and a devastating left foot, operative Minteh has been named in Tom Saintfiet’s final squad that will play Tanzania as part of a one-week training camp in Antalya, Turkey. His skills have been described as that of confidence and creativity with a supreme mastery of the ball. He is accurate with his shooting and has a strong passing ability that makes players around him look good.
Time and again, Minteh, who is compared to Messi by his close associates and acquaintances, has demonstrated his ability to adapt to the pace of a match and shows exceptional high level of physical fitness. With his addition to the Scorpions set-up, the kind of quality, freshness and ease he will bring along with him into the team will be a crucial factor for the Belgian coach’s short- and long-term ambitions.
GFF media