Aliou Cissé

Aliou Cissé (born March 24, 1976 in Ziguinchor) is a Senegalese football (soccer) player. He has recently signed for a second spell at French Ligue 2 side CS Sedan Ardennes on a free transfer, after being released by Portsmouth F.C. in England at the end of the 2005/06 season. Cisse is an aggressive defensive midfield player who can also play at full back.

He began his career with Lille OSC before moving onto CS Sedan and then Paris Saint-Germain. He also spent the majority of the 2001-02 season on loan at Montpellier Herault SC. In the summer of 2002 Cissé captained the Senegal national football team which reached the quarter-finals of the Football World Cup 2002, beating holders France national football team en route.

Impressive performances for his country led to a transfer to English club Birmingham City F.C. for the 2002-03 season. Cissé made his debut at Arsenal F.C. on the opening day of the season, but was sent off. Though the sending-off was rescinded, he went on to pick up five yellow cards in six games, picking up ten yellow cards before the New Year.

Despite this poor discipline, Cissé was impressive for his club, until an injury in February ruled him out for the rest of the season. He was then late in returning to pre-season training in July 2003, leading to manager Steve Bruce placing him on the transfer list.

Cissé got himself back into the first team picture, but his relationship with Bruce continued to go sour, and after Christmas he only played three more games that season. At the end of the season he signed for Portsmouth F.C. for £300,000 on a two-year contract, beating off strong competition from Premiership rivals Bolton Wanderers.

In 2002, Cissé lost several members of his family in the MV Joola ferry disaster off the coast of Gambia.

Aliou's first cousin, Ibrahima Cissé, has been making headlines of his own with his

His transfer from Birmingham City F.C. to Portsmouth F.C. in August 2004 is one of those about which the 2006_allegations_of_corruption_in_English_football Stevens_report report in June 2007 expressed concerns:

“Agent Willie McKay acted for Portsmouth in the transfer of Cisse and, for the same reason as above” {still awaiting clarification) “the inquiry is not prepared to clear these transfers at this stage.”