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Ismaïla Sarr
Ismaila Sarr 2022.jpg
Sarr in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-02-25) 25 February 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth Saint-Louis, Senegal
Height 1.85 m
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current club Marseille
Number 23
Youth career
2009–2016 Génération Foot
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Metz 31 (5)
2017–2019 Rennes 59 (13)
2019–2023 Watford 128 (33)
2023– Marseille 13 (3)
National team
2015 Senegal U23 3 (0)
2016– Senegal 56 (11)
Honours
Representing  Senegal
Men's football
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2021 Cameroon
Runner-up 2019 Egypt
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 December 2023.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21 Novebmer 2023

Ismaïla Sarr (born 25 February 1998) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Ligue 1 club Marseille and the Senegal national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Saint-Louis, Senegal, Sarr started his football career with Senegalese football club Génération Foot.

Metz

On 13 July 2016, Sarr signed his first professional contract with FC Metz for five years. He made his league debut on 13 August 2016 against Lille OSC at Stade Saint-Symphorien, the FC Metz's home ground, which Metz won by 3–2. In this match, he played 20 minutes, after he was substituted for Florent Mollet.

Rennes

On 26 July 2017, Sarr signed a four-year contract with Ligue 1 side Rennes. The transfer fee paid to Metz was reported as €17 or 20 million, depending on the source. He picked the transfer to Rennes over a move to FC Barcelona.

On 13 December 2018, Sarr scored twice in the second half (including a penalty), as Rennes clinched their place in the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League knockout phase with a (Group K, Matchday 6) 2–0 home win over FC Astana.

Watford

On 8 August 2019, Sarr joined Premier League club Watford on a five-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Rennes was a club record for Watford and reported as "in the region of €30 million. He scored his first goal for Watford in an EFL Cup tie against Coventry City on 27 August 2019.

On 29 February 2020, Sarr picked up two goals and an assist in Watford's 3–0 home victory over defending UEFA Champions League winners Liverpool, handing them their first defeat of the 2019–20 season and ending the club's 44-match unbeaten league run.

On 24 April 2021, Sarr scored from the penalty spot in Watford’s 1–0 home win over Millwall in the Championship, sealing Watford’s return to the Premier League after one season. Sarr ended as Watford’s top scorer for the 2020–21 season, scoring thirteen goals.

He continued from where he left off as he scored in Watford's 3–2 win against Aston Villa in their opening game of the 2021–22 Premier League season.

Marseille

On 24 July 2023, Sarr joined French club Marseille for an undisclosed fee.

International career

Opposition de force
Sarr playing for Senegal in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations

Sarr has represented his country with the Senegal U23 national team. In 2015, he played in 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. At that time, his age was only 17. He contributed that Senegal finished the competition in a fourth place, playing three games.

He played for the first time with Senegal national team for a match against Namibia in September 2016 in Dakar (2–0) for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, for which Senegal had already qualified. As a symbol, he came into play in the 67th minute in place of the former resident of Génération Foot and Metz, Sadio Mané. On 8 January 2017, Sarr scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Libya in Stade Municipal de Kintélé, Brazzaville.

In May 2018, he was named in Senegal's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

In 2019, Sarr was part of the Senegal squad that reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, for only the second time in the nation's history. He played the full 90 minutes of the final on 19 July 2019, as they lost 1–0 to Algeria.

In November 2019, he suffered an ankle injury whilst on international duty.

Sarr was part of Senegal's squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations; the Lions of Teranga went on to win the tournament for the first time in their history.

He was appointed a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion by President of Senegal Macky Sall following the nation's victory at the tournament.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Metz 2016–17 Ligue 1 31 5 0 0 2 0 33 5
Rennes 2017–18 24 5 1 0 2 0 27 5
2018–19 35 8 5 1 1 0 9 4 50 13
Total 59 13 6 1 3 0 9 4 77 18
Watford 2019–20 Premier League 28 5 0 0 2 1 30 6
2020–21 Championship 39 13 1 0 0 0 40 13
2021–22 Premier League 22 5 0 0 0 0 22 5
2022–23 Championship 39 10 0 0 0 0 39 10
Total 128 33 1 0 2 1 131 34
Marseille 2023–24 Ligue 1 13 3 0 0 6 1 19 4
Career total 231 54 7 1 7 2 15 4 260 61

International

National team Year Apps Goals
Senegal 2016 1 0
2017 9 2
2018 10 1
2019 9 1
2020 3 1
2021 8 4
2022 12 2
2023 4 0
Total 56 11
Scores and results list Senegal's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Ismaïla Sarr
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 8 January 2017 Stade Municipal de Kintélé, Brazzaville, Congo  Libya 2–1 2–1 Friendly
2 5 September 2017 Stade du 4 Août, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso  Burkina Faso 1–1 2–2 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 8 June 2018 Gradski Vrt Stadium, Osijek, Croatia  Croatia 1–0 1–2 Friendly
4 1 July 2019 30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt  Kenya 1–0 3–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
5 9 October 2020 Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco  Morocco 1–3 1–3 Friendly
6 5 June 2021 Stade Lat-Dior, Thiès, Senegal  Zambia 3–0 3–1 Friendly
7 7 September 2021 Stade Alphonse Massamba-Débat, Brazzaville, Congo  Congo 2–1 3–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
8 14 November 2021 Stade Lat-Dior, Thiès, Senegal  Congo 1–0 2–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 2–0
10 30 January 2022 Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé, Cameroon  Equatorial Guinea 3–1 3–1 2021 Africa Cup of Nations
11 29 November 2022 Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar  Ecuador 1–0 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Rennes

Senegal

Individual

  • EFL Goal of the Season: 2022–23
  • UEFA Europa League Goal of the Season: 2018–19
  • Watford Player of the Season: 2020–21
  • Watford Players’ Player of the Season: 2020–21

Orders

  • Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion: 2022

See also

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