South Georgia Tormenta FC announces the signing of Senegalese defender Justin Malou to its 2026 USL League One roster, pending league and federation approval, following a successful loan spell with the Ibises last season.
The Senegalese defender was loaned out to Tormenta in September last season from North Carolina FC, adding depth and versatility to the backline. Malou made his mark in the seven matches he appeared in for the Ibises. During his loan spell, Justin recorded an 88.5% passing accuracy, 24 clearances, and 19 duels won in only 463 minutes of action.
“Justin is yet another player coming with a wealth of talent from the USL Championship. Justin is a winner, he trains at the highest level everyday, and he is very hungry to win titles. Justin epitomizes the type of character and human being that I want in the locker room, he is a model professional with an abundance of quality as a footballer, and I couldn’t be happier knowing that I am going to be working hard with this lad on the training ground everyday. His personality is great for the culture we will try to create this coming season.”
Mark McKeever, Tormenta FC Head Coach
Malou joined North Carolina FC as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season, where he continued to make an impact across 31 matches. Malou scored his first professional goal in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Phoenix Rising FC and went on to add a second later in the campaign, earning USL Championship Team of the Week honors in Week 22.
In 2023, Malou made his professional debut with FC Tulsa, appearing in 23 matches and posting standout defensive numbers, including a 61% duel success rate, a 65% tackle success rate, and more than 40 clearances.
Malou and the Tormenta FC squad will open its 2026 USL League One season on Sunday, March 8, hosting Spokane Velocity in the home opener at Tormenta Stadium. Tickets for the home opener are available for purchase here, and Season Tickets are on sale here. Fans should stay tuned for more information regarding player updates heading into the New Year.
