By Abdoulie Cham
On Monday, August 18th, Fallou Cham (19) made his debut for Serie A side Hellas Verona in the Coppa Italia. That same night, in the same competition, Eliman Cham (20) was on the bench for Serie B side Carrarese, eagerly awaiting his chance to make a debut for his new club. However, he remained unused as Carrarese were eliminated by Serie A outfit Udinese.
The two Chamens were brought to our attention three weeks ago by one of our Facebook followers, Agiou Kanduh, a well-versed fan and keen follower of Gambian football.
Both Fallou and Eliman primarily play as fullbacks, with Fallou specializing on the right and Eliman on the left. Other than sharing the same last name and playing in similar positions, the two young fullbacks have much in common in their journeys.
They share the same agency, Dream and Goal, and as recently as last season, both were playing in Italy’s Serie D—Fallou with Scafatese and Eliman with Reggina.
While Fallou has already made his Serie A debut for Hellas Verona, Eliman is still awaiting his competitive debut for Serie B side Carrarese—but it seems only a matter of time before he does.
Fallou is described as a modern fullback—powerful in stride, quick, strong in defensive coverage, and fearless in one-on-one situations. He also stands out for his work ethics. Giuliano Giannichedda, his former U-18 coach who spotted him, said of him: He reminds me in some ways of Dumfries. He still needs to improve in possession, refine his decision-making, and learn when to push forward and when to hold back without the ball.
According to an official Carrarese post, Eliman combines excellent technical ability with a strong physical presence, making him a modern fullback capable of asserting his influence on the game. Last season in Serie D, he scored 3 goals in 25 appearances, and his precise, dangerous crosses consistently troubled opposing defenses.
The two youngsters have already shared many similarities in their early careers, and there’s potential for them to share even more in the future, with both well-positioned to represent The Gambia national team as fullbacks.
