Controversial and skilful Senegalese forward whose flair and notoriety made him one of the most talked-about players of his generation.
El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf was born in Dakar, Senegal on 15 January 1981. One of the most gifted yet divisive footballers of his era, Diouf was a technically exceptional dribbler with tremendous pace and skill who also attracted controversy throughout his career. He emerged at Sochaux and Monaco before Liverpool paid £10m for him in 2002 following a sensational 2002 World Cup with Senegal, where he helped his nation reach the quarter-finals in their debut appearance, beating France along the way. Despite his talent, his time at Liverpool was turbulent and he fell out with manager Gerárd Houllier. He moved to Bolton Wanderers in 2004, where his better qualities shone. Later spells included Sunderland, Blackburn, Rangers, Doncaster and Leeds. For Senegal he earned 67 caps and scored 21 goals. His skill was indisputable but so too was his penchant for controversy, including spitting incidents that earned bans.
2002 World Cup Quarter-Final
He starred as Senegal famously beat reigning World Champions France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, helping a largely unknown side reach the quarter-finals on their debut appearance.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- 2002 World Cup Quarter-Final