El Hadji Diouf facts for kids
Diouf playing for Rangers in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf | ||
| Date of birth | 15 January 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Dakar, Senegal | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rennes | |||
| –1998 | Sochaux | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–1999 | Sochaux | 16 | (0) |
| 1999–2000 | Rennes | 28 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Lens | 54 | (18) |
| 2002–2005 | Liverpool | 55 | (3) |
| 2004–2005 | → Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 27 | (9) |
| 2005–2008 | Bolton Wanderers | 87 | (12) |
| 2008–2009 | Sunderland | 14 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Blackburn Rovers | 60 | (4) |
| 2011 | → Rangers (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Doncaster Rovers | 22 | (6) |
| 2012–2014 | Leeds United | 42 | (5) |
| 2014–2015 | Sabah FA | 10 | (4) |
| Total | 428 | (69) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2008 | Senegal | 70 | (24) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf (born 15 January 1981) is a former professional footballer from Senegal. He played as a winger or a forward.
Diouf started his career in France with clubs like Sochaux, Rennes, and Lens. He then moved to the Premier League team Liverpool before the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He had a memorable World Cup with Senegal. He also played for other English teams such as Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland, and Blackburn Rovers. Later, he played in Scotland for Rangers. In 2011, he joined Football League Championship side Doncaster Rovers, and then Leeds United. During his nine years playing for his country, he scored 21 goals in 69 games.
Contents
Early Life
El Hadji Diouf was born in Dakar, Senegal. He comes from the noble Diouf family.
Club Career
Early Career in France
Diouf began his professional football journey in France. He started with Sochaux-Montbéliard. His first game was a 2–1 win against Bastia on 12 November 1998. After that, he joined Rennes for the 1999–2000 season. The next season, he moved to Lens, where he played for two years.
Time at Liverpool
In June 2002, Diouf was linked with the English club Liverpool. This news came after his great performance in the opening game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He played for Senegal against France, who were the defending champions. Liverpool officially signed him on 2 June for about £10 million. His strong performances in the World Cup, where Senegal reached the quarter-finals, created excitement for his arrival in England.
Diouf played well in his first games for Liverpool. He scored two goals in his first game at Anfield on 24 August 2002. This helped Liverpool win 3–0 against Southampton. He also played in the 2003 Football League Cup Final, which Liverpool won against Manchester United.
After a period without scoring, Diouf scored again in March 2003. This was in a 2–0 win against Bolton Wanderers. He scored one goal and helped with another. However, his time at Liverpool became difficult. He did not score any goals in the 2003–04 season. He also received 13 yellow cards and one red card. He was sent off on 7 January 2004 in a game against Chelsea. By the start of the 2004–05 season, he was loaned to Bolton Wanderers. He left Liverpool permanently in the summer of 2005. He had scored six goals in 80 games for the club.
Playing for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers bought Diouf from Liverpool in the summer of 2005. He had already played for them on loan during the 2004–05 season. On 15 September 2005, Diouf scored Bolton's first goal ever in a European competition. This was against Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a UEFA Cup match. Bolton won that game 2–1.
Diouf was very successful at Bolton. Fans liked him because of his exciting style of play. He announced in an interview that he would leave Bolton at the end of the 2007–08 season. His goal against Sunderland on 3 May was his last game at the Reebok Stadium.
Move to Sunderland
Diouf joined Sunderland on 28 July 2008. Bolton agreed to a transfer fee of £2.63 million. He signed a four-year contract. Diouf said he was happy to join Sunderland. The manager at the time, Roy Keane, was also pleased. He said that Diouf was the kind of player opposing teams disliked, which made him a good addition. Diouf started well for Sunderland but did not score in his sixteen games.
Time at Blackburn Rovers
Diouf signed with Blackburn Rovers for £2 million on 30 January 2009. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. This move reunited him with his former Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce. He was given the number 18 shirt. Diouf scored his first goal for Blackburn against Fulham on 11 March 2009. Blackburn won that game 2–1.
During the summer, Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce confirmed that Diouf was bought for £1 million. Diouf scored his first home goal for Blackburn at Ewood Park on 12 September 2009. This was in a 3–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. On 2 January 2010, he received a red card in an FA Cup match against Aston Villa. On 21 March 2010, Diouf scored a goal against Chelsea in a 1–1 draw. By the end of the 2009–10 season, he had played 27 games and scored three goals.
On 20 August 2011, Blackburn manager Steve Kean said that Diouf was not part of his main team plans. He expected Diouf to leave the club. On 31 August 2011, Blackburn ended Diouf's contract.
Loan to Rangers
On the last day of the January 2011 transfer window, Diouf joined Scottish Premier League champions Rangers. He was on loan until the end of the 2010–11 season. He played his first game on 2 February, coming on as a substitute. This was in a 1–0 win over Hearts. He started his first game for Rangers four days later in a 2–2 draw with Celtic.
Diouf scored his first goal for Rangers on 24 February in a 2–2 draw against Sporting CP. This was in the Europa League. He scored with a header in the 20th minute. He scored his second goal for Rangers on 13 March against Kilmarnock. Rangers won that game 2–1. In March 2011, Diouf helped Rangers win the Scottish League Cup. They won 2–1 against rivals Celtic. Diouf also received a Scottish Premier League winner's medal. Rangers came from behind to win the league by one point.
Playing for Doncaster Rovers
In October 2011, Diouf had a trial with West Ham United. Their manager, Sam Allardyce, had managed Diouf before. On 28 October, it was announced that Diouf would not join West Ham. This was due to his fitness and the feelings of the fans.
On 31 October 2011, Diouf signed a three-month contract with Doncaster Rovers. He scored his first two goals for Doncaster against Ipswich on 5 November 2011. He was named Man of the Match in their 3–2 victory. He became captain in a game against Watford. On 2 February 2012, Diouf signed a six-month deal with Doncaster.
After Doncaster was moved to a lower league, Diouf was in talks with Leeds United. This was in April 2012. Diouf said he was very keen to move to Leeds.
Time at Leeds United
On 9 August 2012, Diouf joined Leeds United for a trial. He started training with the team. On 11 August, it was confirmed that Diouf had signed a non-contract deal with Leeds. He played as a substitute for Leeds against Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup.
Diouf played his first league game for Leeds as a substitute. This was in a 1–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He started his first game for Leeds on 25 August. This was in a 2–1 win over Peterborough United.
On 1 September, Diouf scored his first goal for Leeds. This was in a 3–3 draw against his old club Blackburn Rovers. After the game, it was announced that Diouf had signed a permanent contract with Leeds until January 2013. Diouf said he turned down other offers to help Leeds reach the Premier League. He played very well in Leeds' 2–1 win against Everton on 25 September. The manager, Neil Warnock, praised Diouf.
Diouf scored two goals against Bristol City on 29 September. This helped Leeds win 3–2. He was named captain against his old team Bolton Wanderers on 2 October. Diouf scored his fourth goal of the season on 30 October. This was in a 3–0 League Cup win against Southampton F.C.. This helped Leeds reach the quarter-finals. Diouf scored his fifth goal of the season with a penalty on 2 November. This was in a 2–2 draw against Brighton.
On 14 December 2012, Diouf signed a new 18-month deal. This kept him at the club until the end of the 2013–14 season. He scored his seventh goal of the season against Brighton on 27 April. He received a red card for his celebration.
In May 2013, Leeds United and Diouf denied claims that he had signed with a Guinea club. Diouf was unable to play in the 2013–14 pre-season due to a shin infection. In December 2013, it was known that Diouf had missed some Leeds games and training. This was to attend funerals for his former coach Bruno Metsu and former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Diouf made his first start for Leeds in several months on 28 January. This was in a 1–1 draw against Ipswich Town. This was his final game for the club. On 16 May 2014, Diouf left Leeds.
Playing for Sabah FA
In November 2014, Diouf signed a one-year contract with the Malaysian team Sabah FA. He was named team captain. However, he later made comments comparing his club to another team. Sabah removed him as captain in July 2015.
International Career
Diouf's international career began in April 2000 against Benin. He played 69 games for his country and scored 21 goals. He played for Senegal in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He was chosen for the World Cup All-Star team. He helped Senegal reach the quarter-finals, with wins over France (1–0) and Sweden (2–1). Senegal lost 1–0 in extra time to Turkey.
He was also part of the Senegal team that finished second in the 2002 African Cup of Nations. They lost to Cameroon in a penalty shootout. In 2004, he was banned from international football for four matches. This was for comments made to a referee.
In 2004, Diouf was named in the FIFA 100. This is a list of the 125 greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé. In October 2007, Diouf said he would stop playing for his country. He felt frustrated with how the team was organized. However, Senegal coach Henryk Kasperczak later said he would include Diouf in the next team.
In 2011, Diouf was banned for five years from playing for Senegal. This was after he reacted strongly to claims that he missed a hearing. In September 2012, the Senegal Football Federation reduced Diouf's ban. This meant he could play for Senegal again. However, in October 2012, Diouf was not chosen for a game against Côte d'Ivoire. Diouf said he felt the federation was "scared" of him.
Diouf was named the African Footballer of the Year twice.
After Football
In 2017, Diouf was working in Dakar. He was a government goodwill ambassador and an adviser on sports to the Senegalese President Macky Sall. He also ran his own sports newspaper and a gym.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sochaux-Montbéliard | 1998–99 | Division 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 12 | ||
| Rennes | 1999–2000 | Division 1 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 38 | 4 | |
| Lens | 2000–01 | Division 1 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 9 | |
| 2001–02 | Division 1 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 10 | |||
| Total | 54 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 59 | 19 | |||
| Liverpool | 2002–03 | Premier League | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 6 |
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| Total | 55 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 6 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2004–05 | Premier League | 27 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 9 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 20 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 27 | 4 | |||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 5 | |||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | 42 | 6 | ||
| Total | 114 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 3 | — | 136 | 24 | |||
| Sunderland | 2008–09 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2008–09 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 3 | |||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Total | 60 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 62 | 4 | ||||
| Rangers (loan) | 2010–11 | Scottish Premier League | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 22 | 2 | |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2011–12 | Championship | 22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 6 | |
| Leeds United | 2012–13 | Championship | 36 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 45 | 7 | |
| 2013–14 | Championship | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 42 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 52 | 7 | |||
| Sabah | 2015 | Malaysia Premier League | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 422 | 62 | 23 | 2 | 27 | 5 | 37 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 510 | 75 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | 2000 | 3 | 0 |
| 2001 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2002 | 15 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2004 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2008 | 11 | 2 | |
| Total | 70 | 24 | |
- Scores and results list Senegal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Diouf goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 March 2001 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Namibia |
1-0 | 4-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 2 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 3 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 4 | 24 March 2001 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Uganda |
1-0 | 3-0 | 2002 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 5 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 6 | 21 April 2001 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Algeria |
1-0 | 3-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 7 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 8 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 9 | 14 July 2001 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Morocco |
1-0 | 1-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 10 | 21 July 2001 | Independence Stadium, Windhoek, Namibia | Namibia |
2-0 | 5-0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 11 | 4 October 2001 | Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France |  Japan |
1-0 | 2-0 | Friendly | |
| 12 | 4 February 2002 | Stade Modibo Kéïta, Bamako, Mali |  DR Congo |
2-0 | 2-0 | 2002 African Cup of Nations | |
| 13 | 14 May 2002 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |  Saudi Arabia |
2-2 | 2-3 | Friendly | |
| 14 | 7 June 2003 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Gambia |
3-1 | 3-1 | 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 15 | 14 June 2003 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Lesotho |
1-0 | 3-0 | 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 16 | 15 November 2003 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Ivory Coast |
1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly | |
| 17 | 26 March 2005 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Liberia |
2-0 | 6-1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 18 | 6-0 | ||||||
| 19 | 3 September 2005 | Konkola Stadium, Chililabombwe, Zambia' |  Zambia |
1-0 | 1-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 20 | 8 October 2005 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Mali |
2-0 | 3-0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 21 | 21 August 2007 | The Den, London, United Kingdom |  Ghana |
1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly | |
| 22 | 8 September 2007 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal |  Burkina Faso |
5-1 | 5-1 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |
| 23 | 15 June 2008 | Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, Monrovia, Liberia | Liberia |
1-0 | 2-2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 24 | 21 June 2008 | Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, Senegal | Liberia |
2-0 | 3-1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Liverpool
- Football League Cup: 2002–03
Rangers
- Scottish Premier League: 2010–11
- Scottish League Cup: 2010–11
Senegal
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2002
Individual
- African Footballer of the Year: 2001, 2002
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2002
- FIFA World Cup All-star team: 2002
- FIFA 100
See also
In Spanish: El Hadji Diouf para niños
