Club career
Born in Ziguinchor, Senegal, Cissé moved to Paris at the age of nine where he grew up with dreams of playing for Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Paris Saint-Germain. He began his career with Lille OSC before moving onto CS Sedan Ardennes and then Paris Saint-Germain. He also spent the majority of the 2001–02 season on loan at Montpellier HSC, Montpellier Herault SC. After captaining the Senegal national team to the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Cissé transferred to English club Birmingham City F.C., Birmingham City for their 2002–03 Birmingham City F.C. season, 2002–03 season, their debut season in the Premier League. Cissé made his first appearance for the club at Arsenal F.C., Arsenal on the opening day of the season, but was sent off. Though the sending-off was rescinded, he went on to receive five yellow cards in six games, ultimately accumulating ten yellow cards before the New Year. His season, however, was cut short after picking up an injury in February that ruled him out for the rest of the season. Cissé returned late to pre-season training in July 2003, which led manager Steve Bruce to place him on the transfer list. Cissé eventually got himself back into the first team picture, but his relationship with Bruce continued to sour. After Christmas, Cissé only played three more games that season. At the end of the season he signed for Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth for £300,000 on a two-year contract, despite a strong transfer link to Premiership rivals Bolton Wanderers F.C., Bolton Wanderers. The transfer was ultimately one of several included in the 2006 English football corruption investigation#Stevens report, Stevens report released in June 2007, which expressed concerns of corruption within English football. Regarding Cissé, the report stated, "Agent Willie McKay acted for Portsmouth in the transfer of Cissé and [...] the inquiry is not prepared to clear these transfers at this stage." After two years at Portsmouth, Cissé returned to CS Sedan Ardennes, CS Sedan in November 2006 after undergoing a two-week trial. He then signed for French Ligue 2 side Nîmes Olympique from CS Sedan in September 2008. Cissé played seven games during the 2008–09 Ligue 2, 2008–09 season before retiring from club football at the age of 33.International career
Cissé captained the Senegal national team at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. After a 1–0 victory over reigning world champions France national football team, France on matchday one, the team made it all the way to the quarter finals where they lost 1–0 to Turkey national football team, Turkey. Cissé was also part of the Senegal team who were the runners-up in the 2002 African Cup of Nations, but was one of the players who missed a penalty during the shootout in the final as they lost to Cameroon national football team, Cameroon.Managerial career
In early March 2015, Cissé was officially appointed as the head coach for the Senegal national team. The team qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on 10 November 2017, with a 2–0 away win against South Africa national football team, South Africa. Ultimately, Senegal were knocked out in the group stage of the tournament after becoming the first team in FIFA World Cup history to be eliminated due to fair play tiebreaker rules. "This is one of the rules. We have to respect it," said Cissé. "Of course, we would prefer to be eliminated another way. It's a sad day for us but we knew these were the regulations." Cissé coached Senegal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, helping Senegal to its first ever final since the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, 2002, a tournament which Cissé himself also participated when he was the team's captain. However, his Senegal was defeated 1–0 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Final, final by Algeria national football team, Algeria, after losing by the same score in the group stage, and missed out on its first ever African trophy. In February 2019, Senegal's Football Federation (FSF) extended Cissé and his staff's contracts until August 2021. On 6 February 2022, Cissé led Senegal to victory at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. In the final they beat Egypt national football team, Egypt 4–2 on penalties to clinch their first title, thus redeemed himself after two previous final defeats. In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he led the Senegalese national team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup knockout stage, knockout stage for the first time since he was a player in 2002.Personal life
Cissé lost several members of his family in the ferry disaster that occurred off the coast of The Gambia on 26 September 2002. To honour the lives lost, Cissé participated in a charity match between Senegal and Nigeria national football team, Nigeria that raised money for the families of the more than 1,000 reported victims. Birmingham City, one of his former clubs, collected money for the victims' families and honored Cissé by displaying a giant Senegal flag during a game against Manchester City F.C., Manchester City.Career statistics
Club
Managerial
Honours
Player
Paris Saint-Germain *Coupe de la Ligue runner-up: 2000 Coupe de la Ligue Final, 1999–2000 *UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup, 2001 Senegal *Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, 2002Manager
Senegal *Africa Cup of Nations: 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, 2021; runner-up:References
External links
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cisse, Aliou 1976 births Living people People from Ziguinchor Senegalese footballers Association football midfielders Association football defenders Lille OSC players CS Sedan Ardennes players Paris Saint-Germain F.C. players Montpellier HSC players Birmingham City F.C. players Portsmouth F.C. players Nîmes Olympique players Ligue 1 players Premier League players Ligue 2 players Senegal international footballers 2002 African Cup of Nations players 2002 FIFA World Cup players 2004 African Cup of Nations players Senegalese expatriate footballers Senegalese expatriate sportspeople in England Senegalese expatriate sportspeople in France Expatriate footballers in France Expatriate footballers in England Senegalese football managers Senegal national football team managers 2017 Africa Cup of Nations managers 2018 FIFA World Cup managers 2019 Africa Cup of Nations managers 2022 FIFA World Cup managers