Ismaïla Sarr facts for kids
Sarr in 2022
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ismaïla Sarr | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Saint-Louis, Senegal | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, forward | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Crystal Palace | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Marseille | 23 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Crystal Palace | 38 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Senegal U23 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | Senegal | 73 | (16) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2025 |
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Ismaïla Sarr, born on February 25, 1998, is a professional footballer from Senegal. He plays as a winger or forward for the Premier League club Crystal Palace. He also plays for the Senegal national team.
Sarr started his football journey at the Génération Foot academy in Senegal. He made his first team debut for Metz in 2016. After that, he played for Rennes for two seasons. With Rennes, he won the Coupe de France in 2019. He even scored the winning penalty in the final match.
Later, Sarr moved to the Premier League to play for Watford. He was named their Player of the Season in 2021. In 2023, he returned to France to play for Marseille for one season. He then came back to England to join Crystal Palace. In his first season with Crystal Palace, he helped them win the FA Cup in 2025.
Sarr first played for the Senegal senior team in 2016. He has played in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. He also played in the 2019, 2021, and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Senegal won the 2021 tournament with Sarr on the team.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Journey
Ismaïla Sarr was born in Saint-Louis, Senegal. He began his football training at a Senegalese club called Génération Foot. This is where many young talents start their careers.
Playing for Metz
On July 13, 2016, Sarr signed his first professional contract with Metz. He signed for five years. He played his first league game as a substitute on August 13. Metz won that match 3–2 against Lille. His first full start was on September 11, in a 3–0 win against Nantes.
Sarr scored his first goal in Ligue 1 on February 8, 2017. It was in a 2–1 win against Dijon. He scored four more goals in his last eight games that season. He finished the 2016–17 season with five goals and five assists. He played in 31 league matches.
Time at Rennes
On July 26, 2017, Sarr joined Rennes. He signed a four-year contract. Reports said the transfer fee was around €17 to €20 million. Sarr said he chose Rennes over Barcelona. He felt it was too early to join a huge club like Barcelona. He saw Rennes as a place to grow and improve his skills.
Sarr played his first game for Rennes on August 5, 2017. He scored his first goal against Toulouse on August 26. His first season was cut short by an injury to his ankle. He got hurt in a match on September 24. His coach said he needed surgery and would not play until 2018.
Sarr ended that season with five goals and five assists. He played in 24 Ligue 1 games. Rennes finished fifth and qualified for the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League.
During the 2018–19 season, Sarr played in the UEFA Europa League for the first time. He scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against FK Jablonec on September 20, 2018. This goal was even nominated for UEFA Goal of the Season. On December 13, 2018, he scored two goals. Rennes won 2–0 against FC Astana and moved to the next stage. He scored his fourth Europa League goal against Arsenal. Rennes won that game 3–1. However, they lost the second game 3–0 and were out of the competition.
In Ligue 1, Sarr scored eight goals and made six assists. His great performance led to him being nominated for the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season award.
He also played a big part in Rennes winning their first Coupe de France in 48 years. On January 6, 2019, he scored a goal in a 2–2 draw with Brest. He then scored in the penalty shootout, helping his team advance. On April 2, he assisted a goal in a 3–2 win against Lyon. Rennes faced Paris Saint Germain in the final on April 27. Sarr scored the winning penalty kick after the game ended 2–2.
Overall, Sarr scored 18 goals and made 16 assists in 77 games for Rennes.
Adventures at Watford
On August 8, 2019, Sarr joined Premier League club Watford. He signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee was a club record for Watford, around €30 million.
Sarr played his first game for Watford as a substitute on August 24, 2019. Watford lost 3–1 to West Ham United. Three days later, he scored his first goal in English football. It was in an EFL Cup match against Coventry City. On November 30, 2019, Sarr scored his first Premier League goal. Watford lost 2–1 to Southampton. On December 22, he was named man of the match. Watford beat Manchester United 2–0. Sarr scored the first goal and won a penalty. On February 29, 2020, Sarr scored two goals and assisted another. Watford beat Liverpool 3–0. This was Liverpool's first loss of the season. On July 26, Watford was moved down to the EFL Championship league. Sarr finished the 2019–20 season with five goals and four assists in the Premier League.
During the 2020–21 season, Sarr scored thirteen goals and made ten assists. He won Watford's Player of the Season award. On April 24, 2021, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Millwall. This win meant Watford was promoted back to the Premier League.
Sarr started the 2021–22 season well. He scored five goals in the first twelve Premier League matches. This included goals against Aston Villa, Norwich City, Newcastle United, and Manchester United. However, Sarr had injuries for the rest of the season. He did not score in his last ten games. Watford was moved down to the Championship again.
On August 8, 2022, Sarr scored an amazing goal from his own half. It was in a 1–1 draw with West Bromwich Albion. This goal was later named the EFL Championship Goal of the Season. On October 5, he played his 100th match for Watford. He scored in a 2–1 loss to Swansea City. Sarr ended the 2022–23 season with 10 goals in 39 matches.
In his four seasons at Watford, he scored 34 goals in 131 games.
Playing for Marseille
On July 24, 2023, Sarr joined French club Marseille. The transfer fee was not announced.
Sarr played his first game for Marseille on August 9. It was a 1–0 loss to Panathinaikos. He scored his first goal on August 26. Marseille won 2–0 against Brest in Ligue 1.
Sarr started well in France, helping with five goals in his first nine games. But he struggled with his form and fitness for most of the 2023–24 season. He scored three goals and made three assists in 15 league starts. He also scored two goals and made three assists in the UEFA Europa League. Marseille reached the semi-finals but lost to Atalanta.
Joining Crystal Palace
On August 1, 2024, Sarr returned to the Premier League. He signed with Crystal Palace. He was given the number 7 shirt. This number was previously worn by Michael Olise.
Sarr played his first game for Crystal Palace on August 18. He came on as a substitute in the 84th minute. Crystal Palace lost 2–1 to Brentford.
On August 27, he scored his first goal for the club. It was in a 4–0 EFL Cup win over Norwich City. This goal was first given to Eberechi Eze, but later given to Sarr.
His first league goal for Crystal Palace was on November 23. It was in a 2–2 draw at Aston Villa. He scored in the fourth minute. He also assisted a goal for Justin Devenny. On December 15, he scored two goals and assisted another. Crystal Palace won 3–1 against Brighton & Hove Albion. He was named Man of the Match.
During Palace's journey to the 2025 FA Cup final, Sarr scored important goals. He scored the second goal in a 3–0 win against Fulham. He then scored two goals and assisted another in a 3–0 win against Aston Villa. The semi-final was played at Wembley Stadium. On May 17, 2025, Sarr played in the FA Cup final. Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 1–0. This was Crystal Palace's first major trophy!
International Career
Sarr has played for his country's youth team, the Senegal U23 national team. In 2015, he played in the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. He was only 17 years old then. He played three games and helped Senegal finish in fourth place.
He played for the Senegal national team for the first time in September 2016. It was a match against Namibia in Dakar. Senegal won 2–0. Sarr came into the game in the 67th minute. On January 8, 2017, Sarr scored his first international goal. It was in a friendly match against Libya.
In May 2018, Sarr was chosen for Senegal's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. He started all three group matches. Senegal beat Poland 2–1, drew 2–2 with Japan, and lost 1–0 to Colombia.
In 2019, Sarr was part of the Senegal team that reached the final. This was only the second time in Senegal's history. He played the full 90 minutes of the final on July 19, 2019. Senegal lost 1–0 to Algeria.
Sarr was also in Senegal's squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. The team, known as the Lions of Teranga, won the tournament for the first time ever! He scored one goal in a 3–1 win against Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-finals.
After the victory, the President of Senegal Macky Sall honored Sarr. He was made a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion.
Sarr started all four of Senegal's matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He scored in a 2–1 win against Ecuador. This win helped Senegal reach the round of 16. It was their first time since their debut in 2002.
In December 2023, he was chosen for Senegal's squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. This tournament was held in the Ivory Coast. He started all four matches for the team. He assisted a goal in a 3–0 win against The Gambia. He also scored and assisted once in a 3–1 win against Cameroon.
Career Statistics
Club Performance
| 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 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 5 | |
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 50 | 13 | |
| Total | 90 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 110 | 23 | ||
| 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 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | 35 | 4 | |
| Crystal Palace | 2024–25 | Premier League | 38 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 47 | 12 | |
| Career total | 279 | 61 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 21 | 5 | 323 | 73 | ||
International Performance
| 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 | |
| 2024 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | |
| Total | 73 | 16 | |
- Scores and results list Senegal's goal tally first.
| 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 |
| 12 | 19 January 2024 | Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast |  Cameroon |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 13 | 6 June 2024 | Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, Diamniadio, Senegal |  DR Congo |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 9 September 2024 | Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe, Malawi |  Burundi |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 15 | 6 June 2025 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland |  Republic of Ireland |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 16 | 10 June 2025 | City Ground, Nottingham, England |  England |
1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Honours
Rennes
- Coupe de France: 2018–19
Crystal Palace
- FA Cup: 2024–25
Senegal
- African Cup of Nations: 2021; runner-up: 2019
Individual Awards
- 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
Special Recognition
- Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion: 2022
See also
In Spanish: Ismaïla Sarr para niños
