The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Senegal

This page contains a list of the greatest Senegalese Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 73 of which were born in Senegal. This makes Senegal the birth place of the 45th most number of Soccer Players behind Bulgaria, and Costa Rica.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Senegalese Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Senegalese Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Senegalese Soccer Players.

1. Patrick Vieira (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 60.47, Patrick Vieira is the most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 66 different languages on wikipedia.

Patrick Paul Vieira (French: [patʁik vjɛʁa]; born 23 June 1976) is a French professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Serie A club Genoa. He was named in the FIFA 100 of greatest living footballers in 2004. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders in the history of the sport. He is the current head coach of Serie A club Genoa. Vieira began his playing career at Cannes, where several standout performances garnered him a move to Serie A club AC Milan. In 1996, he relocated to England to join fellow countryman Arsène Wenger at Arsenal for a fee of £3.5 million. During his nine-year stint in the Premier League, Vieira established himself as a dominating box-to-box midfielder, noted for his aggressive and highly competitive style of play, an attitude that also helped him excel as captain of the club from 2002 until his departure in 2005. He helped Arsenal achieve a sustained period of success during his time at the club, where he lifted four FA Cups and three league titles, including one unbeaten. He was named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years from 1999 to 2004. He returned to Italy, playing for Juventus, but quickly departed after the club was relegated as punishment for its part in the Calciopoli scandal. He then signed for Inter Milan, where he consecutively won four league titles, before featuring for Manchester City, where he won another FA Cup, before retiring in 2011. Vieira featured at senior level for much of his international career, representing France over a period of twelve years, where he also spent some time as captain. He played in the final in his nation's victorious campaign at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and featured heavily as the team also won UEFA Euro 2000. He also appeared for France at the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, in the side that finished runners-up in the 2006 World Cup, and at Euro 2008, before retiring from international competition in 2010, having made 107 appearances for the side. Following retirement, Vieira transitioned into coaching and took charge of the academy at Manchester City in 2013. He departed two years later to become manager of Major League Soccer club New York City FC. He subsequently managed Ligue 1 club Nice between 2018 and 2020, Premier League side Crystal Palace between 2021 and 2023, and Ligue 1 club Strasbourg between 2023 and 2024.

2. Sadio Mané (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 56.59, Sadio Mané is the 2nd most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 72 different languages.

Sadio Mané (born 10 April 1992) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a forward or left winger for Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr and the Senegal national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time. Mané began his professional career with Ligue 2 club Metz at the age of 19, but he departed after a solitary season to join Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg in 2012 for a fee of €4 million, winning a league and cup domestic double in the 2013–14 season. Later that summer, Mané transferred to English club Southampton for a club record fee of £11.8 million. There, he set a new Premier League record for the fastest hat-trick, scored in 176 seconds in a 6–1 win over Aston Villa in 2015. Mané signed for fellow Premier League club Liverpool in 2016, for a reported fee of £34 million, making him the most expensive African player in history at that time. Having formed a formidable attacking trio with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino after the departure of prolific midfielder Philippe Coutinho, he helped the side reach back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, winning the latter. He also finished as the league's joint-top goalscorer in the 2018–19 season, winning the Premier League Golden Boot. Mané then helped end Liverpool's 30-year league title drought by winning the 2019–20 Premier League. In October 2021, he scored his 100th Premier League goal, becoming the third African to reach the landmark. Mané finished fourth and second in the 2019 and 2022 editions of the Ballon d'Or, respectively; and in The Best FIFA Men's Player he ranked fifth in 2019 and fourth in 2020. At international level, Mané has registered 46 goals in 113 appearances for Senegal since his debut in 2012, and currently ranks as his nation's all-time top goalscorer, and second in all-time appearances. He represented Senegal at the 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. In the 2019 tournament, Mané helped Senegal to a runners-up finish, and a year later, was named African Footballer of the Year. In the 2021 final, Mané scored the winning kick in the penalty shoot-out to give Senegal their first Africa Cup of Nations title and he was also named the Player of the tournament. In 2022, he was crowned African Player of the Year for the second time. Mané also represented his nation at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in its second-ever appearance in the competition.

3. Patrice Evra (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 54.10, Patrice Evra is the 3rd most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 67 different languages.

Patrice Latyr Evra (born 15 May 1981) is a French former professional footballer. Originally a forward, he primarily played as a left-back. Evra served as captain for both Manchester United and the France national team. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions, as well as the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year. He is often regarded as one of the best full-backs of his generation. The son of a diplomat, Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. Evra started his senior career with Italian club Marsala. The following season, he joined Monza, but returned to France a year later to play for Nice where he was converted into a full-back. In 2002, he joined Monaco and was part of the team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final. Evra's performances for Monaco culminated in a move to English club Manchester United in January 2006, where he spent eight years and went on to win 14 trophies including five Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League. In 2014 he joined Italian side Juventus, where he won two Serie A titles and played in another Champions League final. Evra moved to Marseille in January 2017; however, he was released in November 2017 after being banned from UEFA competition for seven months for kicking a fan prior to a UEFA Europa League match. Following a short-term contract with West Ham United in February 2018, Evra retired from professional football in July 2019, later completing his professional coaching badges and returning to former club Manchester United as a trainee coach at the club's academy. Evra participated in five major international tournaments for France: the 2008, 2012 and 2016 UEFA European Championships, and both the 2010 and 2014 editions of the FIFA World Cup. Ahead of the 2010 World Cup, Evra was named captain of the national team by manager Raymond Domenech. At the tournament, he appeared in two group matches, although France had a poor campaign that saw the players go on strike after a first-round elimination. The incident resulted in Evra, for his role as captain, being suspended from national team duty for five matches. He returned to the squad and enjoyed a successful 2014 World Cup in Brazil under Didier Deschamps as France reached the quarter-finals.

4. Jean-Pierre Adams (1948 - 2021)

With an HPI of 53.30, Jean-Pierre Adams is the 4th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.

Jean-Pierre Adams (10 March 1948 – 6 September 2021) was a French professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He was capped 22 times for France in the 1970s, and at club level, he played Division 1 football for Nîmes, Nice and Paris Saint-Germain. From March 1982 until his death in September 2021, he was in a coma as a result of mistakes made during a hospital operation.

5. Souleymane Sané (b. 1961)

With an HPI of 52.10, Souleymane Sané is the 5th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Souleymane Jean Sané (born 26 February 1961) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the father of Germany forward Leroy Sané.

6. Aliou Cissé (b. 1976)

With an HPI of 49.60, Aliou Cissé is the 6th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Aliou Cissé (born 24 March 1976) is a Senegalese professional football coach and former player who was the recent manager of the Senegal national team. Cissé is best known for captaining the Senegal team which reached the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations Final and for being the first Senegal manager to win the tournament in 2022 after reaching the final in 2019. Having begun his career in France, he later played for English clubs Birmingham City and Portsmouth. Cissé was a defensive midfielder who also, on occasion, played at centre-back. Cissé has been the head coach of Senegal since 2015, having briefly taken charge of them following Amara Traoré's sacking, in a caretaker role in 2012. He was also the assistant coach of the under-23 side from 2012 to 2013, becoming head coach from 2013 to 2015.

7. Papa Bouba Diop (1978 - 2020)

With an HPI of 49.42, Papa Bouba Diop is the 7th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.

Papa Bouba Diop (28 January 1978 – 29 November 2020) was a Senegalese professional footballer. His preferred position was as a defensive midfielder, but he could also play as a centre-back, where he played at Lens. Diop was considered a physically strong and aggressive player. His playing style, position, and ability drew comparisons to former France holding midfielder Patrick Vieira. Diop spent much of his career in England, where fans nicknamed him "The Wardrobe" for his stature. He played Premier League football for Fulham and Portsmouth, and won the FA Cup with the latter club in 2008. He also played top-flight football in Switzerland for Neuchâtel Xamax and Grasshoppers, in France for Lens and in Greece for AEK Athens. Diop's second of a total of 11 international goals for Senegal came in a 1–0 victory over then-world champions France in the opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, in Senegal's first match at the FIFA World Cup. He also played at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, finishing as runners-up in 2002.

8. El Hadji Diouf (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 47.56, El Hadji Diouf is the 8th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 42 different languages.

El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf (French pronunciation: [ɛ.ladʒi.djuf]; born 15 January 1981) is a Senegalese former professional footballer. Throughout his career, Diouf played as a winger or a forward. Having started his professional football career in France with Sochaux, Rennes and Lens, Diouf finalised a move to Premier League side Liverpool prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup for Senegal and went on to have a memorable tournament. He has also played in England's top flight for Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers before a stint in the Scottish Premier League with Rangers. In 2011, he joined Football League Championship side Doncaster Rovers but was released at the end of the 2011–12 season following the club's relegation. He then moved to Leeds United where he spent two seasons. During his nine-year international career, he scored 21 goals in 69 caps, and also garnered considerable notoriety for a series of controversial incidents.

9. Ibrahim Ba (b. 1973)

With an HPI of 47.40, Ibrahim Ba is the 9th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Ibrahim Ba (born 12 January 1973) is a French former professional footballer who played as a right midfielder. Starting off his career with Le Havre in France in the early 1990s, he went on to represent clubs in Italy, England, Turkey, and Sweden before retiring at A.C. Milan in 2008. A full international between 1997 and 1998, he won eight caps for the France national team and scored two goals.

10. Guirane N'Daw (b. 1984)

With an HPI of 46.49, Guirane N'Daw is the 10th most famous Senegalese Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Guirane N'Daw is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He played for Sochaux, Nantes, Saint-Étienne, and Lens in France, for Zaragoza in Spain, for Birmingham City and Ipswich Town in England, and for Asteras Tripolis in Greece.

People

Pantheon has 90 people classified as Senegalese soccer players born between 1948 and 2002. Of these 90, 87 (96.67%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Senegalese soccer players include Patrick Vieira, Sadio Mané, and Patrice Evra. The most famous deceased Senegalese soccer players include Jean-Pierre Adams, Papa Bouba Diop, and Jules Bocandé. As of April 2024, 15 new Senegalese soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Souleymane Sané, Jules Bocandé, and Nicolas Jackson.