 Sarr in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ismaïla Sarr[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1998-02-25)25 February 1998 (age 27)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Saint-Louis, Senegal | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder,forward | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Crystal Palace | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2016 | Génération Foot | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Metz | 31 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Rennes | 59 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2023 | Watford | 128 | (33) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Marseille | 23 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Crystal Palace | 48 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Senegal U23 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | Senegal | 76 | (18) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 15 November 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Ismaïla Sarr (born 25 February 1998) is a Senegalese professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder orforward forPremier League clubCrystal Palace and theSenegal national team.
A youth academy graduate of Senegalese clubGénération Foot, Sarr made his senior debut forLigue 1 clubMetz in 2016. He subsequently spent two seasons atRennes, winning theCoupe de France in 2019 and scoring the winning penalty inthe final, before moving to Premier League clubWatford, where he was named Player of the Season in 2021. He departed in 2023 and spent a season back in France withMarseille, before returning to England with Crystal Palace, where he won theFA Cup in2025 in his first season.
Sarr made his senior debut for Senegal in 2016, and went on to represent his side at the2018 and2022 FIFA World Cups, as well as at the2019,2021 and2023 Africa Cup of Nations, winning the 2021 tournament.
Born inSaint-Louis, Senegal, Sarr started his football career with Senegalese football clubGénération Foot.[citation needed]
On 13 July 2016, Sarr signed his first professional contract withMetz for five years.[2] He made his league debut as a substitute in a 3–2 win againstLille on 13 August, in Metz's first match of the2016–17 Ligue 1 season.[3] He made his first professional start in a 3–0 win atNantes on 11 September.[4]
On 8 February 2017, Sarr scored his firstLigue 1 goal in a 2–1 win againstDijon.[4] He went on to score four more goals in his final eight appearances of the season, ending2016–17 with five goals and five assists from 31 league appearances.[4]
On 26 July 2017, Sarr signed a four-year contract with Ligue 1 sideRennes. The transfer fee paid to Metz was reported as €17 or 20 million, depending on the source.[5][6] Sarr claimed that he had chosen to sign for Rennes ahead ofBarcelona, saying: "I could have gone to Spain and join the great Barcelona, but leaving Metz to join them was too early. I saw Rennes as a club that will help me progress and reach great heights".[7]
Sarr made his debut for Rennes in the team's2017–18 season opener againstTroyes on 5 August 2017 and scored his first goal againstToulouse on 26 August.[8]
His first season at theBreton club was curtailed by amalleolus fracture sustained in a match againstSaint-Étienne on 24 September.[9] On 28 September, it was announced by coachChristian Gourcuff that Sarr's injury would require surgery that would prevent him from playing until 2018.[10]
Sarr ended the season with five goals and five assists from 24Ligue 1 appearances[8] as Rennes finished in fifth place and qualified for the2018–19 UEFA Europa League.[11]
During the2018–19 season, Sarr made hisUEFA Europa League debut, scoring the opening goal of a 2–1 againstCzech clubFK Jablonec on 20 September 2018. This goal was later included on a shortlist of ten for UEFA Goal of the Season.[12][13] On 13 December 2018, he scored twice, as Rennes clinched qualified for the knockout phase with a 2–0 home win overFC Astana.[14] His fourth Europa League goal of the season came from a header againstArsenal in a 3–1 round of 16 first leg win on 7 March 2019.[15] However, on 14 March, Rennes lost the second leg inLondon 3–0 and were eliminated.[16]
InLigue 1, Sarr scored eight goals and registered six assists.[13] His form saw him nominated for the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season award.[13]
He also made a significant contribution to Rennes winning their firstCoupe de France in 48 years.[17] On 6 January 2019, he scored the equalising goal in a 2–2 draw withBrest and scored in the subsequentpenalty shootout that took the team through to the fourth round ofthe tournament.[18] On 2 April, he assisted Senegalese teammateM'Baye Niang's opening goal in an eventual 3–2 semi-final win againstLyon.[19] Rennes went on to faceParis Saint Germain at theStade de France in the2019 Coupe de France Final on 27 April, with Sarr scoring the winning kick of the penalty shootout after the underdogs had recovered from a 2–0 deficit to draw 2–2 during regulation time.[20]
Overall, Sarr scored 18 goals and registered 16 assists from 77 appearances for Rennes.[21]
On 8 August 2019, Sarr joinedPremier League clubWatford on a five-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Rennes was a club record for Watford[22] and reported as "in the region of €30 million".[23]
Sarr made his debut for Watford as a substitute in a 3–1Premier League defeat toWest Ham United atVicarage Road on 24 August 2019.[24] Three days later, on his first start for Watford, he scored his first goal in English football in anEFL Cup tie againstCoventry City.[25] On 30 November 2019, Sarr scored his first Premier League goal in a 2–1 loss atSouthampton.[26] On 22 December, he was votedman of the match in Watford's 2–0 home win overManchester United – a match in which he scored the opening goal and was fouled for thepenalty kick that was converted by captainTroy Deeney.[27][28] On 29 February 2020, Sarr scored twice and assisted Deeney's third goal in Watford's 3–0 home victory over defendingEuropean ChampionsLiverpool, handing them their first defeat of the2019–20 season and ending the club's 44-match unbeaten league run.[29] On 26 July, Watford were relegated to theEFL Championship after losing 3–2 to Arsenal at theEmirates Stadium in their final match of the season.[30] Sarr ended2019–20 with five goals and four assists in the Premier League.[31]
During2020–21, Sarr scored thirteen goals and provided ten assists,[32] winning Watford's Player of the Season.[33] On 24 April 2021, he scored the only goal of a 1–0 win overMillwall which ensured Watford's promotion back to thePremier League.[34]
Sarr started2021–22 by scoring five goals in the opening twelvePremier League matches.[35] This included scoring once in a 3–2 win againstAston Villa in the opening game of the season,[36] twice in a 3–1 win atNorwich City,[37] once in a 1–1 draw at home toNewcastle United,[38] and once in a 4–1 home win over Manchester United.[39] However, Sarr struggled with injury for the rest of the season[31][32][40] and did not score in his final ten appearances[31] as Watford were relegated for the second time in three seasons.[41][42]
On 8 August 2022, Sarr scored a goal from his own half in a 1–1 draw withWest Bromwich Albion atThe Hawthorns.[43] The goal was later awardedEFL Championship Goal of the Season.[41] On 5 October, he played his 100th match for Watford, scoring in a 2–1 loss toSwansea City.[32] Sarr endedthe season with 10 goals from 39 matches in all competitions.[44]
During his four seasons at Watford, he scored a 34 goals from 131 appearances.[44]
On 24 July 2023, Sarr joined French clubMarseille for an undisclosed fee.[44][45]
Sarr made his debut for Marseille in a 1–0 loss toPanathinaikos in aUEFA Champions League qualifier on 9 August.[46] He scored his first goal in a 2–0Ligue 1 win over Brest at theStade Vélodrome on 26 August.[47]
After an impressive start on his return to France, recording five goal involvements in his first nine matches, Sarr struggled with form and fitness for most of the2023–24 season.[48] Overall, he registered three goals and three assists from 15 league starts, in addition to two goals and three assists in the club's run to theUEFA Europa League semi-finals, where they were beaten 4–1 on aggregate by eventual winnersAtalanta.[49]
On 1 August 2024, Sarr returned to the Premier League, signing forCrystal Palace.[50] He was assigned the number 7 shirt, previously worn byMichael Olise, who had departed forBayern Munich.[51]
Sarr made his debut for Crystal Palace as an 84th minute substitute forChris Richards in their opening match of the2024–25 Premier League season, a 2–1 loss atBrentford on 18 August.[52]
On 27 August, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0EFL Cup win overNorwich City; the goal, initially attributed toEberechi Eze, was awarded to Sarr a week later.[53]
His first league goal for theEagles came in a 2–2 draw at Aston Villa on 23 November. After scoring in the fourth minute, he went on to record an assist forJustin Devenny in first-half stoppage time.[54] On 15 December, he scored twice and assisted a goal forTrevoh Chalobah in Palace's 3–1 win atrivalsBrighton & Hove Albion, winning the Man of the Match award.[55]
During Palace's run to the2025 FA Cup final, Sarr scored the team's second goal in the 3–0 quarter-final win atFulham[56] and then scored two goals and assisted the other in the 3–0 semi-final defeat of Aston Villa atWembley Stadium.[57] On 17 May 2025, Sarr played in the FA Cup final and won theFA Cup as Crystal Palace beatManchester City 1–0 to win their first major trophy.[58] Sarr followed this up by scoring in the2025 FA Community Shield which Palace won against Liverpool.[59]
Sarr has represented his country with theSenegal U23 national team. In 2015, he played in2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations. At that time, his age was only 17. He contributed that Senegal finished the competition in a fourth place, playing three games.
He played for the first time withSenegal national team for a match againstNamibia in September 2016 inDakar (2–0) for2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, for which Senegal had already qualified. As a symbol, he came into play in the 67th minute in place of the former resident ofGénération Foot andMetz,Sadio Mané.[60] On 8 January 2017, Sarr scored his first international goal in afriendly match againstLibya inStade Municipal de Kintélé,Brazzaville.
In May 2018, he was named in Senegal's 23-man squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[61] He started all three group matches at the tournament[62] as Senegal beatPoland 2–1, drew 2–2 withJapan and lost 1–0 toColombia.[63]
In2019, Sarr was part of the Senegal squad that reached the final of theAfrica Cup of Nations, for only the second time in the nation's history.[64] He played the full 90 minutes of the final on 19 July 2019, as they lost 1–0 toAlgeria.[65]
Sarr was part ofSenegal's squad for the2021 Africa Cup of Nations; the Lions of Teranga went on to win the tournament for the first time in their history.[66][67] He scored once in a 3–1 win overEquatorial Guinea at the quarter-final stage.[68]
He was appointed aGrand Officer of the National Order of the Lion byPresident of SenegalMacky Sall following the nation's victory at the tournament.[69]
Sarr started all four of Senegal's matches at the2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring in a 2–1 win overEcuador that qualified the nation for the round of 16 for the first time since its debut in2002.[70]
In December 2023, he was named in Senegal's squad for the postponed2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in theIvory Coast.[71] He started all four matches for the team, registering an assist in a 3–0 win overThe Gambia[72] and both scoring and assisting once in a 3–1 win overCameroon.[73]
Sarr holds French citizenship from his mother.[74]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Metz | 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 5 | ||
| Rennes | 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 5 | ||
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9[c] | 4 | — | 50 | 13 | ||
| Total | 59 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 4 | — | 77 | 18 | |||
| Watford | 2019–20 | Premier League | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 30 | 6 | ||
| 2020–21 | Championship | 39 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 13 | |||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 5 | |||
| 2022–23 | Championship | 39 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 10 | |||
| Total | 128 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 131 | 34 | ||||
| Marseille | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 12[d] | 1 | — | 35 | 4 | ||
| Crystal Palace | 2024–25 | Premier League | 38 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 47 | 12 | ||
| 2025–26 | Premier League | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5[e] | 2 | 1[f] | 1 | 18 | 8 | |
| Total | 48 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 20 | ||
| Career total | 289 | 65 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 341 | 81 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senegal | 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 4 | |
| Total | 76 | 18 | |
Rennes
Crystal Palace
Senegal
Individual
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