Moussa Sissoko facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Moussa Sissoko

Sissoko with Toulouse in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth	(1989-08-16) 16 August 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Le Blanc-Mesnil, France
Height	1.87 m
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Watford
Number	17
Youth career
1995–1999	Espérance Aulnay
1999–2001	Red Star
2001–2003	Espérance Aulnay
2003–2007	Toulouse
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–2013	Toulouse	192	(20)
2013–2016	Newcastle United	118	(11)
2016–2021	Tottenham Hotspur	141	(3)
2021–2022	Watford	36	(2)
2022–2024	Nantes	56	(2)
2024–	Watford	25	(1)
National team‡
2005	France U16	2	(0)
2005–2006	France U17	9	(2)
2006–2007	France U18	8	(0)
2007–2008	France U19	7	(0)
2008–2011	France U21	20	(1)
2009–2021	France	71	(2)
Honours Men's football Representing  France UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2016
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 January 2025 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 June 2021

Moussa Sissoko (born on August 16, 1989) is a French professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder and is the captain for the Premier League club Watford. He is known as a box-to-box midfielder, meaning he plays both offense and defense in the middle of the field. He can also play in other positions, like a defensive midfielder, an attacking midfielder, a right winger, or even a right-back.

Sissoko started his football journey playing for youth clubs in the Île-de-France area of France. These clubs included Espérance Aulnay and Red Star. In 2002, he moved to the professional club Toulouse. Sissoko spent four years learning and growing in their youth academy. He made his first professional appearance in the 2007–08 season. He also played his first game in the UEFA Champions League, a big European club competition.

In the next season, Sissoko was recognized for his great playing. He also helped Toulouse qualify for the new UEFA Europa League competition. Later, in 2013, he joined Newcastle United in the Premier League (England's top football league). After Newcastle was moved down to a lower league in 2016, he joined Tottenham Hotspur. At Tottenham, Sissoko's team finished second in the 2016–17 Premier League. He also started in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, a very important match. After leaving Tottenham in 2021, he played for Watford for one season. Then, in 2022, he joined Nantes in France. He returned to Watford in 2024.

Sissoko played for different French youth national teams as he grew up. In August 2009, he was called up to the senior national team for the first time. He played his first game for the senior team in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against the Faroe Islands. Four days later, he started his first international game against Austria. Sissoko was also part of the French team that finished second in the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament.

Early Life and Football Start

Moussa Sissoko was born in Le Blanc-Mesnil, a suburb near Paris, France. His parents are from Mali. His father worked in construction, and his mother was a homemaker. Moussa is the oldest of four children and has three younger sisters. He loved football from a very young age. He once said, "I quickly realized that football could lead me to have a better life."

When he was six, Sissoko joined the youth team of Espérance Aulnay. This club was in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a nearby suburb. He trained three times a week with his coach, Adama Dieye. Sissoko sees Dieye as a very important person who helped him develop. In 1999, Sissoko moved to Saint-Ouen to play for Red Star. He played there for two years. In 2001, he went back to Aulnay for two more years to improve his skills before trying to join a professional club.

Club Career

Playing for Toulouse

First Years: 2003–2008

In July 2003, Sissoko traveled south to join the professional club Toulouse. He signed a youth contract and started in the club's under-14 team. Sissoko spent three years in the club's youth academy. He played alongside future teammates like Cheikh M'Bengue and Étienne Capoue.

Before signing his first professional contract with Toulouse, big English clubs like Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers were interested in him. In the middle of the 2006–07 season, Sissoko signed a three-year professional deal with Toulouse. He was then moved up to the club's main team.

Sissoko played his first professional game on August 4, 2007. He came in as a substitute in a 3–1 loss to Valenciennes. The next week, he started his first game, which was a 1–0 win against the champions, Lyon. On August 15, he played in a UEFA Champions League qualifying match against Liverpool. Sissoko scored his first professional goal on September 1, 2007, in a 2–0 win against Auxerre. He scored in extra time after coming into the game just two minutes before. By late September, he was playing regularly as a defensive midfielder. On January 6, 2008, Sissoko scored his second goal of the season in a French Cup match against Paris. Toulouse surprisingly lost that game. Even though Sissoko had a good season, Toulouse finished just above the relegation zone. After the season, Sissoko signed a contract extension with the club until 2012.

Becoming a Key Player: 2008–2013

Sissoko playing for Toulouse in 2008

After a teammate left, the coach, Alain Casanova, moved Sissoko to a box-to-box midfielder role. This allowed him to help both in defense and attack. He started the 2008–09 season mostly as a substitute. But by December, Sissoko was a regular starter. On January 24, 2009, he scored his first goal of the season in a big 8–0 win in the French Cup. Toulouse reached the semi-finals of the competition.

In the league, Sissoko was a very important player. He helped Toulouse finish 4th, which meant they qualified for the new UEFA Europa League. He scored his first league goal of the season on February 7 in a 2–0 win against Le Mans. He also scored in wins against rivals Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain. In total, he played 40 games and scored five goals. Because of his great performances, he was nominated for the UNFP Young Player of the Year award.

Before the 2009–10 season, English club Tottenham Hotspur showed a lot of interest in Sissoko. They offered a lot of money for him. However, Toulouse's president said that Sissoko would not be sold for less than €30 million.

Sissoko started the 2009–10 season by scoring six league goals in the club's first 12 matches. He scored in the club's second league game against Saint-Étienne in a 3–1 win. On September 20, 2009, he scored in a 2–0 win against Le Mans. The next week, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 loss to Lyon. On October 1, 2009, Sissoko scored his first goal in a European competition. This was in a UEFA Europa League group stage match against Belgian club Club Brugge. The game ended in a 2–2 draw. Sissoko's goal-scoring slowed down later in the season. He scored only one goal after the winter break. He played regularly for the rest of the season.

Even though many clubs were interested, Sissoko decided to stay at Toulouse. He said he was happy there. He scored his first goal of the new season on September 22, 2010, in a cup match. On February 6, 2011, Sissoko scored both goals in a 2–0 win against Monaco.

Moving to Newcastle United

Sissoko playing for Newcastle United against Arsenal in 2015

On January 21, 2013, the English team Newcastle United announced they had signed Sissoko. He signed a six-and-a-half-year contract for a certain amount of money. It was said that Sissoko gave up some of his signing bonus to make the move happen. Toulouse did not want him to leave until his contract ended in the summer. He was given the number 7 shirt.

He played his first game for Newcastle on January 29. He helped set up the first goal in a 2–1 win against Aston Villa. In his second game, which was his first at St James' Park, Sissoko scored two goals. These goals helped Newcastle come back from behind to win 3–2 against Chelsea. On February 24, Sissoko scored in a 4–2 win against Southampton.

Sissoko faces Chelsea at St James' Park, 2015.

Sissoko's first goal of the 2013–14 season came on November 30 against West Bromwich Albion. It was a powerful shot from far away. In a game against Southampton in December, he accidentally hit the referee, Mike Jones, in the face. He scored twice in a 4–1 win away at Hull City in March 2014. A reporter called his performance "utterly superb."

In the 2014–15 season, Sissoko became captain when the regular captain was injured. In his first game as captain, Sissoko scored his first league goal of the season. This was in a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. On November 29, 2014, Sissoko received two yellow cards quickly in a 1–0 loss to West Ham United. On January 1, 2015, Sissoko scored his second league goal of the season as Newcastle drew 3–3 with Burnley. On April 13, 2015, Sissoko was sent off in an away game at Liverpool for a dangerous tackle. On May 24, 2015, the last day of the season, he scored the first goal in a 2–0 home win over West Ham United. This win helped Newcastle stay in the Premier League.

During the 2015–16 season, Sissoko was made captain for the last six games. In his first game as captain on April 16, 2016, he scored his only goal of the season. This was in a 3–0 home win against Swansea City. This win started a six-game unbeaten run for Newcastle as they fought to avoid being moved down a league. Despite this, Newcastle was still moved down to the Championship, a lower division.

Playing for Tottenham Hotspur

Sissoko plays for Tottenham Hotspur in an FA Cup match against Aston Villa, 2017.

On August 31, 2016, Sissoko signed with Tottenham Hotspur for £30 million. Tottenham got him on the last day of the transfer period, beating out Everton. Sissoko made his first appearance for Tottenham on September 10, 2016, in an away game at Stoke City. On October 22, in a match against AFC Bournemouth, Sissoko accidentally elbowed an opponent. This resulted in him being banned for three matches. He did not play a league game for Spurs again until December 3.

After a difficult first season at Tottenham, Sissoko got more chances to play at the start of the 2017–18 season. This was because several other midfielders were injured. He started his fourth game in six Premier League matches on September 23, in a 3–2 win at West Ham. His coach said his performance was "fantastic." Sissoko scored his first goal for Tottenham on September 30, 2017, in their 4–0 victory over Huddersfield Town.

In the 2018–19 season, Sissoko became a very important player for Tottenham. He played in 43 games across all competitions. He won the first-ever Tottenham Hotspur Legends' Player of the Season award in May 2019. In the final of the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League against Liverpool, Sissoko's arm accidentally blocked a pass from a Liverpool player. This was called a handball, and Liverpool scored a penalty kick. Tottenham eventually lost the match 2–0.

In the 2019–20 season, under new coach José Mourinho, Sissoko scored his first goal in over two years. This was in a game against Bournemouth. It was only his second Premier League goal for Tottenham and helped the team win 3–2. On New Year's Day 2020, in a match against Southampton, Sissoko injured his right knee. This required surgery, and he was out of action for more than three months. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, league matches were stopped. So, he did not miss many games and played again on June 19 against Manchester United when the season restarted.

On January 5, 2021, Sissoko scored his first goal of the 2020–21 season. This was in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, which Tottenham won 2–0 against Brentford.

Playing for Watford

On August 27, 2021, Sissoko joined Watford on a two-year contract. He played his first game two days later in a 1–0 loss away against his old club, Tottenham Hotspur. Unfortunately, Watford was moved down to a lower league that season.

Playing for Nantes

On July 1, 2022, Sissoko went back to France and signed with Nantes.

Returning to Watford

On July 10, 2024, Sissoko returned to England. He rejoined Championship side Watford on a two-year deal.

International Career

Youth Teams

Sissoko played for France at many youth levels. On January 4, 2005, he played his first youth international game for the under-16 team in a friendly match against Turkey. France won the game 3–0.

With the under-17 team, Sissoko played more often. He made his debut on November 2, 2005, in a match against England. On February 26, 2006, Sissoko scored his first goal for a youth international team. This was in a tournament game against the Netherlands. In the next game against Portugal, Sissoko scored again in a 3–1 win. Sissoko and his team did not qualify for the 2006 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.

With the under-18 team, Sissoko played in all eight matches. France almost went undefeated, losing only one game. Because he was playing so much for Toulouse, Sissoko missed some under-19 tournaments. He only played in qualifying matches for the 2008 UEFA U-19 Championship. France was later eliminated in the next round of the competition.

Sissoko was called up to the under-21 team for a friendly match on September 9, 2008. He played his first game in that match, which France won 1–0. Sissoko scored his only goal with the team on March 31, 2009, in a 2–0 win over England. The team did not qualify for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

Senior Team

Sissoko (wearing white; No.18) playing for France against Switzerland at UEFA EURO 2016; France would finish the tournament as runners-up.

On August 3, 2009, Sissoko was called up to the senior national team for the first time. This was for a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match. Sissoko did not play in that game. On October 6, he was called up again for the final World Cup qualifying matches. Sissoko played his first game for the senior team against the Faroe Islands. He came in as a substitute. France won the match 5–0. Since France had already secured their spot in the play-offs, Sissoko started his first game against Austria. France won that game 3–1. Even though he played regularly for the team, Sissoko was not chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

On May 13, 2014, Sissoko was named in the squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played his first FIFA World Cup game in 2014. He came in as a substitute in France's 3–0 group win over Honduras. In France's second match of the tournament, a 5–2 victory over Switzerland, he started the game and scored his first goal for the national team.

Sissoko was an important part of France's journey to the final of the 2016 UEFA European Championship. He started four games in the tournament. He played very well in the final against Portugal, but France lost 1–0 in extra time.

On May 17, 2018, he was named on the standby list for the 23-man French squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Because he wasn't playing as well for his club at that time, he was not part of the French team that won the World Cup. However, after playing well for his club in the 2018–19 season, he was back in the national squad. He played a role in the Euro 2020 qualifiers for France.

How Moussa Sissoko Plays

Moussa Sissoko is a very flexible midfielder. He can play in almost any midfield role and even in other positions on the field. He usually plays as a box-to-box midfielder in the center. This means he helps both in defense and attack. He can also play as a defensive midfielder (staying back to protect the defense) or an attacking midfielder (moving forward to create goals). Sometimes, he plays as a right winger because he is fast and good at attacking. He has even played as a full-back or wing-back on the side of the field.

Sissoko is a big, fast, and strong player. He works very hard and can run long distances. He is described as a "well-rounded central midfielder" who is "tall, long-limbed, and strong when tackling." While some people have questioned his passing and technical skills, he has a good first touch. He has also shown great improvement in his technique as his career has gone on. He is known for his direct style of play. He can quickly move the ball from defense to attack and run at opposing defenses. This is thanks to his ability to win the ball, his good positioning, speed, energy, and strength. He is also known for being able to shoot powerfully from far away with his right foot. In 2010, he was named one of the 100 best young players in the world.

Personal Life

Moussa Sissoko is a Muslim. Besides his native French, he also speaks English.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Sissoko playing for France in 2013

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sissoko goal.

List of international goals scored by Moussa Sissoko

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	20 June 2014	Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil	Switzerland	5–0	5–2	2014 FIFA World Cup
2	2 June 2017	Roazhon Park, Rennes, France	Paraguay	4–0	5–0	Friendly

Honours and Awards

Tottenham Hotspur

• EFL Cup runner-up: 2020–21 (meaning his team finished second)
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2018–19 (meaning his team finished second)

Nantes

• Coupe de France runner-up: 2022–23 (meaning his team finished second)

France National Team

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2016 (meaning his team finished second)

Individual Awards

• UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2018–19 (chosen as one of the best players in the competition)
• Tottenham Hotspur Legends' Player of the Season: 2019 (voted best player by club legends)

See also

In Spanish: Moussa Sissoko para niños