More than 1,000 Fantasy Premier League managers accidentally signed Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare instead of Brentford’s new arrival Mamadou Sangare after the Mali international made an impressive first start for the Bees.
Mamadou Sangare joined Brentford from RC Lens this summer for about £39m, a club-record fee, and made an immediate impression in his first competitive start. The 24-year-old played a key role in Brentford’s 3-0 victory over Tottenham, providing two assists.
His influence extended beyond his attacking contribution. Sangare also recorded two tackles, two interceptions and two clearances during an energetic performance in midfield.
That display earned him 14 points in Fantasy Premier League, the official fantasy football game of the British top flight. He received the maximum three bonus points after the match, helping to make him one of the most sought-after players ahead of the second round of fixtures.
Almost 198,000 users had transferred Brentford’s midfielder into their fantasy teams by that stage. However, 1,498 managers appear to have selected the wrong Sangare.
The error was highlighted by specialist account FPL S7S, which noted that those users had recruited Ibrahim Sangare, the Ivory Coast international who plays in midfield for Nottingham Forest, apparently believing they were choosing Mamadou.
The mix-up is understandable. The two players share a surname, play in the same position and are both African internationals in the Premier League.
But the mistake could prove costly for the affected managers. Ibrahim Sangare played the full 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 defeat by Leeds but collected only two Fantasy Premier League points.
Several users acknowledged the blunder on social media, with some joking about having fallen into the trap.
The surname Sangare is particularly common across West Africa. It is associated with the wider Mandingue cultural group and can be found in countries including Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. The name is used among Bambaras, Malinkes and Dioulas across the region.
For the former Lens player, the confusion is an unintended compliment. His first Brentford appearance made such a strong impression that it prompted a rush of interest in his profile within the Premier League’s official fantasy game.
The challenge now is to reproduce that level of performance. Priced at £5.5m in Fantasy Premier League, the Bamako-born midfielder could quickly become one of the season’s best-value options if he maintains his attacking influence.
Fantasy managers will simply need to make sure they select the right Sangare.
