Tristan Crama looking a defensive lynchpin for Millwall – as he makes French team including Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan stars
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk
It’s not every day that you see a Millwall player named in the same team as one containing players from Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan. But it also underlines just how dominant and impressive Tristan Crama was in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
The 23-year-old centre-back was selected by highly-respected sports paper L’Equipe in their weekly team of French players plying their trade in other areas of Europe.
Crama, signed from Brentford in the summer, was part of their backline also containing Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu and AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez – with midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, a La Liga star, also making the cut.
It’s probably a bit of an understatement to say that things have gone well since his January 17 transfer from Brentford to SE16.
Crama initially slotted in seamlessly at right-back, covering the injury absence of Ryan Leonard and Danny McNamara.
And in the last two matches – clean sheet victories over Sheffield United and Middlesbrough – he has switched to an unruffled central role with Japhet Tanganga sidelined due to a broken bone in his hand.
“I’m enjoying it so far,” said Crama, who started on the books of hometown club Beziers before joining Brentford’s B team in 2020.
“When you’re enjoying what you do, you play well. I’ve been in very good form since I signed, so I get a lot of confidence. When you play with confidence, you play better. Whether it’s at right-back or centre-back, I have been next to great players, so it has been easy for me to adapt to this team.
“It’s good (to feature in L’Equipe) – it means I did a great job on Saturday. In France, it’s a really big newspaper that covers all the sport around France. It’s massive to be in.
“I woke up in the morning and someone sent it me. Then someone else, and someone else, and then my family put it on social media.”
Crama’s previous senior football experience prior to the Lions had been in League One.
He made 34 appearances on loan at Bristol Rovers in the 2023-24 season and then made the temporary move to Exeter City at the start of this campaign, one of his four goals coming in a 1-0 win against Charlton in November.
His stay with the Grecians was cut short after Millwall had a bid accepted.
Lions head coach Alex Neil told our paper that Crama’s early action at right-back helped to acclimatise him to Championship level – adding he did the same at Preston with Sepp van den Berg, who moved from Liverpool to Brentford for £25million last summer.
Asked about the Scot’s verdict, Crama said: “As a centre-back, you are the last man on the pitch before the keeper so you cannot lose a one-v-one, miss a touch or miss a pass which leads to a goal or big chance.
“As a right-back, you don’t have the same pressure because you still have players behind you. It takes a bit of pressure off.
“I have played centre-back a lot as well, so I have confidence playing there – it’s my main position. Playing right-back definitely helped me adapt to the Championship.
“I know what I’m capable of, so I’m just trying to stay switched on for the whole game.
“Japh is a really good player so I think it’s a really good compliment if people are saying that we didn’t miss him much for the past two games.
“Everything is a bit quicker in the Championship, compared to League One. The players are quicker and stronger, but you’re playing with quicker and better players – it’s just about adapting yourself as quickly as possible.”
Crama never managed a first-team match at Brentford but was part of their side which won the Premier League Cup and London Senior Cup.
He has remained in touch with compatriots Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa.
“I was really close with them,” said Crama. “I still am. They helped me – and the staff.
“It’s massive to train with them. You have to be focused and give 100 per cent every session.
“If you play against Ivan (Toney), you can’t give him one yard because he will score. It’s the same for Bryan and Wissa. If you make one mistake, they are going past you
“The B team staff were also massive for my development. They pushed me every day for three seasons.”
Crama grew up as a Marseille fan. Dimitri Payet was his idol as a kid.
“I’m from the south so everyone from the south supports Marseille,” said Crama, who initially played as a striker before gradually shifting further back – also having spells as a number 10 and holding midfielder – before settling into his current position. “I have been to the Velodrome a lot of times when I was younger.
“I wasn’t a centre-back when I was younger, I was an offensive player, so Dimitri Payet was a massive part of Marseille.”
Crama’s target, unsurprisingly, is to play in the Premier League, which Payet lit up when he was at West Ham United.
Millwall have a chance of making that a reality next season due to their results since Neil came in, winning six and drawing one of their last 10 games.
The Lions must beat Blackburn Rovers tomorrow and Norwich on Monday to keep the prospect alive of a play-off finish.
“We will take it game by game and see where we go,” said Crama. “We have four games left and are three points away from the play–offs, so we’re in the race.
“It’s slightly out of our control because of the teams above us. The one thing we can do is keep winning and putting pressure on those teams above us.
“Anything can happen.
“We’re in good form. We can’t think about Swansea, Norwich or Burnley.
“Our focus is on Blackburn now and it will be like a final.
“The game after will be like a final. Every game is just massive now.”
PICTURES: BRIAN TONKS
