Djibril Cissé (born 12 August 1981) is a French former professionalfootballer who played as aforward.
Cissé started his career at his boyhood clubArles-Avignon in 1989, before playing for the youth teams atNîmes andAuxerre. Cissé spent two years in the youth system at Auxerre, before graduating to the first team in 1998. After playing for Auxerre for six seasons, scoring 90 goals in 166 appearances, he moved toPremier League clubLiverpool in 2004.
After starting his career withNîmes,[10] Cissé signed forAuxerre at the age of 15.[11] Playing for the youth team in 1999, Cissé won theCoupe Gambardella, the equivalent of theFA Youth Cup.[12] After being promoted to the first team squad by coachGuy Roux, Cissé made hisLigue 1 debut at the age of 17 as a substitute againstParis Saint-Germain on 20 March 1999.[13] His first goal came at the start of the2000–01 season in a 2–1 defeat ofMetz.[13] He ended this season, his first as a regular in the first team, with eight goals from 25 games.[12]
Cissé was again amongst the league's top scorers in2002–03 with 14 goals. He also scored six goals in six matches in Auxerre's successfulCoupe de France campaign, including both goals in the semi-final defeat ofRennes and the equaliser in the2003 Coupe de France Final victory over PSG.[13]
2003–04 proved to be Cissé's most successful goalscoring season, with 30 goals in all competitions, including 26 in Ligue 1 to win the golden boot for the second time.[13]
Overall, Cissé scored 70 goals in 128 league games for Auxerre,[14] before signing forLiverpool in a deal worth over £14 million in the summer of 2004.[15]
At Liverpool, Cissé scored five goals in 24 first-team games in all competitions forLiverpool in the2004–05 season.[16] He had only played 19 games forLiverpool when a freak accident occurred while playing againstBlackburn Rovers on 30 October 2004. While Cissé and Blackburn'sJay McEveley were challenging for the ball, Cissé's boot got caught in the turf and his leg snapped. This resulted in a brokentibia andfibula, and physio Daryl Martin said "It could take six to nine months for a recovery and the absolute worst-case scenario is 18 months..."[17] Cissé later stated that had it not been for prompt attention from the trainers at the stadium, he could have lost the leg below the knee.[18] He had pins inserted in the leg, and was expected to be out of action for the rest of the 2004–05 season.[19][20]
However, in an unexpected return, Cissé was able to come on as a 75th-minute substitute in the second leg of Liverpool'sChampions League quarter-final tie withJuventus on 13 April 2005.[21] He went on to score both Liverpool goals in their lastPremiership match of the season, a 2–1 win overAston Villa[22] and also converted a penalty in Liverpool'spenalty shootout win overAC Milan in theChampions League final.[23] During the2005–06 season, Liverpool managerRafael Benítez deployed Cissé on theright wing on numerous occasions.[24] While his pace made him well suited to such a role, it was doubtful whether he would be happy to continue in this role rather than in his preferred position as striker.[10] He scored two goals as Liverpool won the2005 UEFA Super Cup. Cissé also scored Liverpool's opening goal in the2006 FA Cup Final with a sliding shot past West Ham United keeperShaka Hislop. Liverpool went on to win 3–1 onpenalties. He ended the 2005–06 season with 19 goals in all competitions.
From the summer of 2005, the media had linked Cissé with a move away from Anfield.[25] Speculation intensified as the season went on. In early June 2006, it was reported that a transfer toMarseille had been agreed.[26] The very same day, Cissé broke his leg during France's final warm up match against China on 7 June 2006. It was thought that even though a relatively quick recovery was expected,[20] Cissé's transfer would be postponed until at least the Januarytransfer window.[27] However, the two teams agreed a loan deal in July 2006.[28]
Cissé made his return to training on 20 October 2006,[29] and scored his first goal forMarseille on 22 December 2006 when they beatSaint-Étienne 2–1.[30] With only four goals in 14 appearances by April, Cissé's performances were drawing such criticism that former playerJean-Pierre Papin urged Cissé's critics to be more patient while the striker recovered from his career-threatening injury.[31] Despite the slow start, Cissé managed to score 4 goals in his final 7 league appearances to finish with 8 goals in 21 league appearances,[16] helping Marseille to finish 2nd in the2006–07 season and guarantee aChampions League place for the 2007–08 season.[32] On 12 May 2007, he scored two goals in theFrench Cup Final againstSochaux, although Marseille still lost the match 5–4 on penalties, after a 2–2 stalemateafter extra time following a late equaliser by another Liverpool player on loanAnthony Le Tallec.[citation needed]
On 7 July 2007, Marseille's presidentPape Diouf announced that the club had struck a deal with Liverpool to sign Cissé permanently, for an estimated fee of €8 million.[33] But subsequently, Cissé was linked with a return to the English Premier League withBlackburn Rovers,Wigan Athletic,Tottenham Hotspur,Portsmouth andBolton Wanderers said to be interested.[34] Manchester City had their approach for Cissé rejected by Marseille boss, who said, "He is wanted, that is for sure, I myself have been approached by Manchester City (about Cissé), but I turned it down categorically".[35] On 26 January 2008, Cissé scored a hat-trick in Marseille's 6–1 win againstCaen.[36]
On 20 August 2008, Cissé secured a loan switch toPremier League clubSunderland.[37] At the same ground where he had scored on his Liverpool debut, Cissé scored the winning header on his debut againstTottenham to make it 2–1 to Sunderland.[38] A few days later, Cissé announced his desire to secure a permanent deal with the club.[39] ManagerRoy Keane also expressed his desire to sign Cissé, tellingThe News of the World: "I'd be happy to break the transfer record if Djibril's doing the business".[40] In theTyne-Wear derby, Cissé scored his third Sunderland goal on 25 October 2008, with Sunderland winning 2–1.[41] After scoring in a 4–1 victory against Hull, Cissé stated that despite the departure ofRoy Keane from Sunderland, he still wished to complete a permanent move to the club.[42]
On 18 April 2009, Cissé scored his tenth league goal of the season in a 1–0 victory overHull City at the Stadium of Light.[43] On 24 May, it was confirmed that Sunderland would not be taking up the option to sign Cissé permanently, and he subsequently returned to Marseille.[44]
On 25 June 2009, Cissé signed a four-year contract with Panathinaikos.[45] It was reported that the player would earn €2.5 million per year, while French clubMarseille would get an estimated €8 million as a transfer fee. The total cost of the transfer is about €20 million, taking into account the various bonuses.[46] He scored his first goal in Greece againstErgotelis and soon he became the new leader of the team. He was the Superleague topscorer for the 2009–10, leading his team to win the double. In his first year in Greece, Cissé scored 23 goals in 28 matches.[citation needed]
Cissé's performances made Panathinaikos fans love him. He had stated that after making the double in Greece he would love to play again in the Champions League with Panathinaikos and looking for a successful season also in Greece. On 30 October 2010, he scored two goals (one penalty) in theDerby of the eternal enemies against arch-rivalsOlympiacos in a 2–1 home win. At the MVP award ceremony for the eighth fixture, Cissé said: "I am not only a player of Panathinaikos, but I am also a fan." In the new season, he has already scored 18 goals in 20 matches in the Greek League and one goal in the Greek Cup. He was also the team captain of Panathinaikos and the most valuable player of the club.
On 19 February 2011, Olympiacos beatPanathinaikos inKaraiskaki Stadium (2–1), after a controversial game. After the game, Cissé had a wrangle with Olympiacos' presidentEvangelos Marinakis, who also used homophobic slurs against Cissé.[47] He was beaten by Olympiacos' fans and stated that he was going to appeal to theUEFA. He stated also that he had lost his patience with the questionable refereeing in Greece: "I will make my decisions but believe me, I've had enough. I can't go on under these conditions."[48] One month later, Cissé reached 50 goals as a Panathinaikos player in domestic and European competitions. He celebrated this goal by wearing a t-shirt of Panathinaikos supporters groupGate 13.
Cissé was transferred toSerie A clubLazio on 12 July 2011 for €5.8 million.[49][50] He signed a four-year contract with the Italian side.[51] He made his debut in aUEFA Europa League match againstFK Rabotnički on 18 August, scoring two goals in a 6–0 win for the home side.[52] Cissé scored his only league goal for Lazio on his league debut in a 2–2 draw withMilan at theSan Siro on 9 September.[53]
On 31 January 2012, Cissé signed a two-and-a-half-year deal withQueens Park Rangers for an undisclosed fee. He wasMark Hughes' fourth signing since taking over as manager.[54] He scored on his debut, againstAston Villa in a 2–2 draw atVilla Park on 1 February.[55] He was then given a straight red card in his second game for violent conduct, when he reacted to a late challenge byWolverhampton Wanderers playerRoger Johnson by grabbing Johnson by the throat.[56] With QPR down to ten men, they went on to lose the game 2–1. On 21 March 2012, Cissé scored QPR's equalising goal in a 3–2 victory against his former clubLiverpool.[57]
Three days later, he was sent off for the second time in his first five games for QPR when he received a straight red card for a two-footed lunge onSunderland'sFraizer Campbell.[58] He then returned from suspension on 29 April 2012, and scored a late consolation goal againstChelsea in a 6–1 loss atStamford Bridge. Cissé went on to score his fifth goal in seven matches to win the match againstStoke City.[59] On 13 May 2012, Cissé scored the goal in the 48th minute to make it 1–1 againstManchester City. This was his sixth goal in eight matches for QPR. QPR went on to lose the match2-3, as City scored two goals in stoppage time and clinched their first Premier League title, but avoided relegation as Bolton succumbed to a 2–2 draw at Stoke.[60] Cissé picked the number nine for his jersey and scored his first goal in the 2012–13 season in a 3–2 loss againstReading in theLeague Cup and his first Premier League goal of the season, also against Reading on 4 November.[14] In January 2013, he joined Qatari clubAl Gharafa on loan until the end of the season.[61] His loan ended on 30 June. He made nine league appearances and scored one goal in the championship and four in the AFC Champions League.[2] Cissé left QPR by mutual consent on 28 June 2013.[62]
On 3 July 2013, Cissé signed a one-year contract (plus one in option) withKuban Krasnodar.[63] On 1 January 2014, he signed an 18-month deal withBastia.[64] In June 2015, Cissé signed forSaint-Pierroise of theRéunion Premier League on a month-long contract, starting in September of the same year.[65][66] On 20 October 2015, Cissé announced his retirement from football at the age of 34 due to injury.[67] On 4 July 2017, Cissé returned to football after signing with Swiss sideYverdon.[68] In August 2018, Cissé signed a contract with "A.C. Vicenza 1902", another phoenix club ofVicenza.[69] However, after failing to enter Serie D, it was reported that the club started to owe wages to their players.[70] Cissé announced his intention to come out of retirement in May 2020.[71] He wanted to score four more goals in Ligue 1 to reach the mark of 100.[71] In April 2021, Cissé joined American sidePanathinaikos Chicago ahead of the2021 National Premier Soccer League season.[72]
Cissé made his international debut againstBelgium at the age of 21, coming on as a 48th-minute substitute forDavid Trezeguet on 18 May 2002.[80] The team managerRoger Lemerre included Cissé in his 23-man squad for the2002 FIFA World Cup.[81] In the tournament, he played in all of thegroup matches againstSenegal,[82]Uruguay,[83] andDenmark,[84] coming on as a substitute in all three games, but France were eliminated in the World Cup group stages. His first goal in the senior tournament came on 7 September 2002 againstCyprus in theEuro 2004 qualifiers.[85] Cissé was part of the2003 FIFA Confederations Cup championship team. He scored his only goal of the tournament from the penalty spot in France's 1–0 win against Colombia on 18 June 2003.[86]
After being banned fromUEFA Euro 2004, Cissé was next in the2006 FIFA World Cup tournament in Germany.[87] In France's final warm-up match against China on 7 June 2006, he suffered another broken leg. When ten minutes into the game, he was knocked off balance by the China captainZheng Zhi and fell with his leg twisting under him.[88] "It's so tough to hear Djibril scream like that," said fellow French strikerThierry Henry. "You lose a teammate and also a friend. But he is tough; he will come back." He needed immediate surgery to repair hisopen fractured tibia so was out of the tournament.[89] During theUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Cissé played three games,[14] but did not win a place in the France squad for the finals.[90]
After demonstrating his goal-scoring form for Panathinaikos, in March 2010, Cissé was recalled to the French squad for a friendly againstSpain in Paris. When introduced into the match as a substitute, he had a considerable impact, heading on aFlorent Malouda cross only forIker Casillas to push it onto the post.[91]On 11 May 2010, he was included by managerRaymond Domenech in France's final 23-man squad for the2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On 22 June, he was in France's starting eleven for the team's final game of the group stage versusSouth Africa.[92]
Cissé was born in France to Ivorian parents. He is also of Guinean descent.[94] He was raised aMuslim and converted fromIslam toCatholic Christianity at the age of 15 after takingcatechism classes at a training center inNîmes.[95][96][97] His late father,Mangué, was a professional footballer and had captained his country, before his parents moved to France in 1974. Djibril was the seventh and last child of his family, after siblings N'ma, Damaye, Abou, Fode, Seni and Hamed.[98] In 2005, after his move to Liverpool, Cissé purchased amanor house in the village ofFrodsham, Cheshire, and in doing so becameLord of the Manor of Frodsham.[99] Soon after buying the house, his decision to refuse the Cheshire Forest Hunt permission tohunt on his land received substantial press coverage.[100] On 18 June 2005, Cissé married former Welsh hairdresser Jude Littler.[101][98] The wedding took place atBodelwyddan Castle, with notable guests includingShaun Wright-Phillips and Cissé's French national teammatesLouis Saha andSylvain Wiltord.[101] He got married in a tuxedo in the red of Liverpool.[101]
The couple divorced in October 2014 and have three children, Cassius, Prince Kobe and Marley Jackson. Cissé has a daughter, Ilona, from a previous relationship.[102] Prince Kobe is currently on the books of theLiverpool academy.[103]
Cissé had a cameo role in a French action comedy filmTaxi 4, featuring in a high-speed driving scene.[105]
Cissé has his own clothing range and fragrance, branded "Mr Lenoir".[106]
In 2015, he participated inseason 6 ofDanse avec les stars, the French version ofDancing with the Stars with his partner Silvia Notargiacomo but got eliminated first, finishing in last place.[107] In 2021, he took part in the second season ofMask Singer, disguised as a skeleton.[108]
In October 2015, Cissé was one of four people arrested in France over an alleged attempt toblackmailMathieu Valbuena in asex tape extortion plot.[109] He was removed from the investigation in January 2021.[110] On 13 November 2024, the Bastia court in Corsica sentenced him to a suspended eight-month prison sentence and a €20,000 fine for tax fraud.[111]
^"Comunicato Ufficiale N. 85" [Official Press Release No. 85](PDF) (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 21 November 2011. p. 4. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 25 October 2022.
^"Cissé va signer à la Lazio" [Cissé will sign with Lazio].L'Équipe (in French). 12 July 2011. Archived fromthe original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved10 September 2011.
^Haïreche, Rachid (12 January 2014)."Djibril Cissé, de pieds en capes" [Djibril Cissé, from head to toe].Libération (in French). Retrieved30 August 2014.