Alagie Saine

Alagie Saine took the captain's armband for Gambia's under-20 side into the final of the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, a tournament in which the Scorpions had never before reached the final. Gambia finished as runners-up, and Saine's performances across the competition earned him a place in the CAF Best XI Team of the Tournament. The run also carried the team to the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the first time since 2007. Two years earlier, he had already helped the same age group to the semi-finals of the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania, where Gambia finished third. Across his time with the junior national side he collected 13 caps and scored twice. His route to that stage began at Falcons FC in Gambia, where he came through the youth ranks under coach Lamin Sanneh before establishing himself in the senior side. In January 2023 he moved to Europe on a six-month loan to AC Horsens, with the Danish club holding an option to make the deal permanent. He did not feature in the league during that loan spell, but Horsens exercised the buyout clause in June 2023 and signed him on a four-year contract. Saine has since been capped by Gambia's senior national team, appearing seven times without yet finding the net at that level. He made the step from youth captain to full international within a few years of leaving Falcons FC.