There is no doubt that 2008 was a fascinating year for Gambian football. Not only did the country defy history by managing a 1-1 draw against Senegal in Dakar in the last round of matches in the joint 2010 African Cup and World Cup qualifiers, but it also unveiled a golden generation of young footballers, whose heroic football exploits have helped to stream the country to international football recognition.

Different people will have different reasons to choose different players as their most outstanding stars of The Gambian side in 2008, but many soccer fans will also have good reasons to choose Ousman Jallow, Njogu Demba-Nyren, Mustapha Jarju, Ebrima Sohna, Tijan Jaiteh or Abdoulie "Kenny" Mansally as their Gambian star players in 2008.

Ousman Jallow
Ousman Jallow is perhaps the most visible example of The Gambia's promising football future. Ousman's fascinating career gained thrust when he featured for The Gambian team that won the African Youth Championship in the Gambia in 2005. He also captained The Gambia's U-17 team that humiliated Brazil 3-1 in the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Peru in the same year.

Since then, he has successfully risen through the ranks of youth football, consequently, featuring for the U-20 side that won bronze in Congo in 2007. There he scored 3 goals to help the country defy the odds to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Championship in Canada later that year.

Due to his impressive display at youth level, Jallow was called into the senior national team in September 2007, when the Scorpions hosted Algeria in the final group match of the 2008 Nations Cup qualifying campaign. But that marvelous cruise for him ended in a sour taste after he received a red card and missed a penalty. But his skin was perhaps saved by The Gambia's 2-1 victory in the game.

His brightest day for the Scorpions came during The Gambia's joint 2010 Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying match against Liberia, where he scored the second goal in the Scorpions 3-0 victory in the game. The goal was his first for the Scorpions at senior level.
 Born on October 21 1988, Jallow currently plays for the Danish team, Brondby IF. He joined the team in 2008 from Al Ain FC, UAE. His impressive exploits for the Danish side have been well noted in the highest echelons of European football.

In a recent article on their website, UEFA, Europe's football governing body hailed him as one of the reasons for the club's recent resurgence after a miserable performance last season.  "One factor behind the turnaround in fortunes has been the club's successful summer trading," UEFA said adding that: "Of the new recruits, Gambian striker Ousman Jallow has proven a particularly big hit, scoring the winner against OB and continually improving as the campaign unfolds."  No wonder he is often called the illuminating torch of the future of Gambian football.

Njogu Demba-Nyren
It took him many years to make up his mind to play for The Gambia, but since he did in October 2007, he has not disappointed Scorpions fans. One thing that he is always admired for by fans is his pace, great technique and extreme shooting ability.

Visibly slow in outlook, his unpredictable fast moves with the ball often makes opponents frustrated. His creative ability lead  him to be singled out by the Senegalese defence during The Gambia's much savored enthralling encounter with the Teranga Lions in October 11 last year, during The Gambia's last group six game in the 2010 African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

Njogu's heroic exploits for The Gambia gained international attention on 6 September 2008, when the Scorpions hosted Liberia at home. He scored two goals to marvelously help The Gambia beat Liberia 3-0 at home to sail to second position in Group 6 of the joint 2010 African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.

The goals which ended his goal drought inspired FIFA to name him player of the qualifying week in the joint qualifiers. The 29-year-old striker has played for Falu, BS, BK Hacken, PAS Giannina, Aris FC, Levski Sofia, Panathinaikos, FC Kerkyra FC (loan), Esbjery FB, SK Brann and Dennis side Odense.
The Gambian international has also won the Greek Premier League and Greek Football Cup in 2003/04 season with Panathinaikos.

Mustapha Jarju
There are many talents in the current Gambian side, but Mustapha Jarju is perhaps one of the most inspiring revelations Gambian football has ever unearthed. His tenacious firmness in his central role as a midfielder has been a cornerstone in The Gambia's recent international football triumphs.

Toubaboo, as he is fondly called by many football fans scored two goals in The Gambia's 2010 African Cup of Nations and World Cup campaigns last year, consequently helping the Scorpions to stream to second place in group six, and a point behind leaders Algeria.  
Among the matches he scored in include The Gambia's opener against Liberia, when he scored as early as the 15th minute of the game to give the Scorpions an unassailable lead, even though this was cancelled few minutes before the end of the match by the Lone Stars.

Jarju also hit the net in the 18th minute during Gambia's much savored enthralling clash with Algeria at home in the first round of the 2010 qualifiers. His goal gave the Scorpions a 1-0 triumph against Algeria, putting them also on the same level on points with neighbors and bitter rivals, Senegal.
 
Ebrima Sohna
Born on 14 December 1988, Ebrima Sohna is often described as the rock in the heart of The Gambian defence. He currently plays for Sandefjord Football Club, Norway. At youth level, Ebrima played as a holding midfielder for The Gambian team that won the CAF U-17 Championship in Banjul in 2005. He also played a pivotal part in The Gambian team that beat Brazil 3-1 in the FIFA U-17 Youth Championship in Peru in 2005.

Sohna also helped the U-17 in qualifying for the CAF U-20 Youth Championship in Congo in 2007, where The Gambia won bronze medal to qualify for the FIFA U-20 Youth Championship held in Canada.

His business minded attitude has won him admiration and praises from many fans. "Ebrima Sohna has always had the gift and talent that anyone can easily identify as potential for success. Sohna's number one passion has always been playing football, and as hard it is to make it in football in Gambia, he has always kept his focus on his ambitions and deserves any successes he gets from it," one football analyst said of him.
 He was voted as his club's best player last season after helping them to qualify for the Norwegian first division.
 
Tijan Jaiteh
Tijan was once described as the young Momo Sissokho, but many soccer experts who have watched him play said the boy's abilities far outmatch that of his Malian counterpart. Born on 21 December 1988, Tijan was also part of the country's golden generation of young players who won continental acclaim during the African U-17 Championship in The Gambia in 2005.

He also played for The Gambia in the CAF and World Youth Championship in Congo and Canada in 2005 respectively. This was after he was signed by Norwegian club, SK Brann in January 2007.

He was one of the most impressive Scorpions players during the recent joint 2010 African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers. The 19 year-old was named Brann's young player of the year in 2007, an award he also won the previous year. "Winning the award for the second time is even sweeter than the first time," Jaiteh told Gambia Sports Online after winning the award.

"It's always more difficult to defend an award than winning it the first time. I am very happy to win the award a second time in only my second season at the club." As a sign of his growing international reputation, Tijan was recently linked with a move to many clubs in the English Premiership and many other clubs in the major leagues in Europe.