Lamin Conteh (20 June 1976 – 5 May 2022), widely known by his nickname Junior Tumbu, was a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He represented the Sierra Leone national team from 1994 until 2002. Biography Conteh was born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to Muslim parents from the limba ethnic group. A Muslim himself, Conteh grew up in poverty. As a teenager, he was frequently seen playing street football across Freetown with boys much older than he was. As a teenager, he was considered the best secondary school footballer in Sierra Leone. He dropped out of the Ahmmadiyya Muslim Secondary School in Freetown in 1992 to become a professional footballer. Conteh made his international debut for Sierra Leone in 1994, at the age of seventeen. Though a Muslim, Lamin was highly involved in the rastafarian movement and was a big fan of reggae star Bob Marley. Conteh died in the early hours of 5 May 2022. Career At the age of 18, Conteh was selected to play for Sierra Leone in the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations held in Tunisia. He was also picked in the squad for the following tournament in South Africa two years later. After a match against Nigeria in 2000, Conteh claimed that the Sierra Leone Football Association owed him $2,000, and refused to play for his country until the money was paid to him. The matter was later resolved, and in 2002, he took over the captaincy of the national team from Mohamed Kallon. Honours Al Wahda UAE Pro League: 1998–99, 2000–01 UAE President's Cup: 1999–2000 UAE Federation Cup: 2001 Perlis F.A. Malaysia Super League: 2005 Malaysia Cup: 2004, 2006 References External links 1976 births 2022 deaths Sierra Leonean Muslims Sportspeople from Freetown Sierra Leonean footballers Association football midfielders Sierra Leone international footballers 1994 African Cup of Nations players 1996 African Cup of Nations players 2. Bundesliga players UAE First Division League players UAE Pro League players K. Beerschot V.A.C. players SV Meppen players Boavista F.C. players Varzim S.C. players Al Wahda FC players Fujairah FC players Perlis FA players Negeri Sembilan FA players Pelita Bandung Raya players Sierra Leonean expatriate footballers Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Expatriate footballers in Belgium Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Germany Expatriate footballers in Germany Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Expatriate footballers in Portugal Sierra Leonean expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia Expatriate