Mamadou Sakho
Encyclopedia
Mamadou Sakho is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1
. He primarily plays as a centre back
for his club, but can also deputized as a left back if necessary. Sakho is known for his leadership credentials, his tireless engine, hard-working attitude, and his tackling ability. He has also been praised for his "physical and tactical qualities". Sakho is also known for his eccentric hairstyles he often displays while playing and has earned the nickname Kirikou
by club supporters as a result.
Of Senegal
ese descent, Sakho started his career at Paris FC
in 1996 before moving to professional club Paris Saint-Germain in 2002. After excelling in the youth system
, Sakho earned a call up the senior team by manager Paul Le Guen
. In October 2007, on his league debut, he became the youngest player ever to captain a Ligue 1 club after wearing the armband in the club's 0–0 draw with Valenciennes
. Since making his debut with the club, Sakho has become an integral part of the team earning starting berths in the first 11 under managers Paul Le Guen
and Antoine Kombouaré
. Sakho's playing style and ability have led to the media and former players drawing comparisons to former French international
Lilian Thuram
.
Sakho is both a French youth international
and senior international
. He has earned caps and captained all youth levels. Before earning his first call-up to the senior team, Sakho was playing on the under-21 team
serving as the captain. He earned his first call-up to the senior team in August 2010. Sakho made his senior international debut in November 2010 against England
.
, which is commonly referred to as "Little Africa". Sakho started his football career at age six playing for the juniors of hometown club Paris FC
. In 2002, he was lured away to professional club Paris Saint-Germain. Sakho was originally a striker, but due to Paris Saint-Germain's youth team having fewer defenders than strikers, he was moved into a more defensive role.
Sakho struggled to adapt during his first year at the Camp des Loges
, the headquarters of the club's youth academy
, often refusing to accept orders handed out by the trainers, such as when to go to bed. At one point, he was threatened with expulsion from the club due to his constant bad behavior. Following guidance from his parents and, particularly, under-13 Paris Saint-Germain coach Christian Mas, Sakho curbed his bad behavior and began to focus on his studies and football. When Sakho was 14, his father suddenly died. The resulting pain led to Sakho considering leaving football, but he later described that idea as "useless" and returned to the club after bereavement. Sakho quickly became one of the club's most sought after prospects winning numerous MVP
awards during his time in the youth academy. In April 2005, he was a part of the Île-de-France
region
team that won the 2005–06 Coupe Nationale. That same year, he was apart of the Paris Saint-Germain under-18 team that won the Championnat National des 18 ans league title, despite being three years younger than many of his teammates.
In total, Sakho spent nearly six years at the Camp des Loges
. A day after his 17th birthday, manager Paul Le Guen
called the youngster up for the club's UEFA Cup
Round of 32 first leg match against AEK Athens. Sakho started the match picking up a yellow card in the 20th minute. He played 85 minutes before being substituted out as Paris Saint-Germain won the match 2–0. That was his only appearance of the 2006–07 season.
in the Coupe de la Ligue
on 26 September 2007, starting in the centre back role alongside the experienced Colombia
n Mario Yepes
. Sakho made his league debut on 20 October against Valeciennes
in a 0–0 draw. In an effort to galvanize the questionable leadership of several senior team players, such as first-team captain Pauleta
and vice-captain Sylvain Armand
, Le Guen named Sakho captain for the match. Sakho's role as captain made him the youngest-ever captain of Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 17 years and 8 months and also the youngest player to ever captain a side in Ligue 1
. In the following match against Lyon
, he was named captain again and tasked with the role of containing fellow French starlet Hatem Ben Arfa
. Despite Sakho and the club putting up a strong fight, Ben Arfa scored two goals in a span of three minutes as Les Parisiens suffered a 3–2 defeat. In the club's following match against Nancy
, Sakho picked up an extensive injury, which ruled him out for two months. He returned to action on 23 February 2008, playing the entire match in a 1–1 draw against Monaco
. On 29 March, Sakho started and play the full 90 minutes in the Paris Saint-Germain's 2–1 victory over Lens
in the 2008 Coupe de la Ligue Final
. The victory awarded Sakho the first major trophy of his career. In total that season, Sakho made 16 appearances.
In the following season, Sakho made 34 total appearances contributing to the Paris Saint-Germain's successful play where the club reached as high as 2nd in the league, reached the semi-finals of the Coupe de France
, and made it to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. On 30 January 2009, due to his positive play and clubs from abroad constantly inquiring for his services, Paris Saint-Germain awarded Sakho a contract extension until the June 2012. Two weeks later, he scored his first career goal for the club in a league match against Saint-Étienne
on 14 February 2009, a day after his 19th birthday. The goal gave Paris Saint-Germain a 1–0 lead and the club went on to win the match 2–1.
Sakho opened the 2009–10 season
as the incumbent starter partnering either veterans Sammy Traoré
or Zoumana Camara
in defense. Midway through the season, Sakho was embroiled in controversy when he allegedly slapped a Le Parisien
newspaper journalist at the Camp des Loges
, the club's training center. Before the incident, Sakho had allegedly confronted the journalist to question the accuracy of an article he had written referring to the controversy surrounding why Sakho went to a nightclub
following Paris Saint-Germain's embarrassing loss to Lorient
hours earlier. Sakho reportedly insulted the journalist and then slapped him before walking away. The journalist, who preferred to remain anonymous
, filed a complaint the following day with both he and the newspaper describing Sakho's attitude as "unprofessional". Paris Saint-Germain president Robin Leproux and manager Antoine Kombouaré
issued an apology on the club's behalf and Sakho later apologized to the journalist by telephone.
Sakho started the 2010–11 campaign
partnering with Camara in defense. He was also installed as the team's captain in the UEFA Europa League by manager Kombouaré due to the unavailability of Claude Makélélé
. Midway through August, Sakho began appearing in the centre back position alongside veteran Sylvain Armand
. He scored his first goal of the season on 11 September 2010 in a 4–0 victory over Arles-Avignon. In Europe, Sakho captained the team in their 5–4 aggregate victory over Israel
i club Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League playoff round. He accomplished this feat again in the group stage leading the team to a 2–0 victory over Ukrainian
club Karpaty Lviv
. On 16 October, Sakho scored the game-winning goal in a 2–0 victory over Toulouse
. In the team's first match following the winter break, he scored his third goal of the campaign in Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Sochaux
. After a prolonged period of negotiations, on 8 March 2011, Sakho signed a two-year contract extension with the club until June 2014. On 20 April, he captained the team to a 3–1 victory over Angers
in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. The victory inserted the club into the 2011 Coupe de France Final
; the club's second consecutive appearance in the competition's final match. Paris Saint-Germain lost the match 1–0 to Lille
. On 10 May, Sakho was nominated for the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award. Two weeks later, he won the honour. Sakho was also named to the organization's Team of the Year alongside club teammate Nenê.
on the youth level
. As early as the age of 13, he began featuring with regional youth sides playing for Île-de-France
alongside fellow youth internationals Yacine Brahimi
, Tripy Makonda
, Maxime Partouche
, and Sébastien Corchia
. Sakho made debut for the under-16 team
on 21 March 2006 in a friendly match against Germany
in a 3–1 victory. He scored his only goal for the team in their 1–0 victory over England
in the Montaigu Tournament
. France later won the competition defeating Italy
2–1 in the final. With the under-17 team
, Sakho made his debut in the team's opening match against Cyprus
in an international youth tournament. Midway through the season, Sakho was named captain by coach François Blaquart who noticed the player's leadership skills. Under Sakho's leadership, the team reached the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
and, later, the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
by virtue of their semi-final appearance in the UEFA-sanctioned tournament. At the U-17 World Cup, which was held in South Korea
, Sakho captained the team to a quarterfinal appearance where they lost to Spain on penalties.
Due his increased playing time with his parent club, Sakho only made four appearances with the under-18 team
. He made his debut for the team on 18 December 2007 in a friendly match against Portugal
and later featured in two friendly matches against Germany, one of which was played at the GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau
in Stuttgart
. Similarly with the under-19 team
, Sakho's play with the team was limited not only due to his playing time with Paris Saint-Germain, but also due to his commitments with the under-21 team
. Despite making only four appearances with the team, he was selected to play in the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
. Paris Saint-Germain, however, refused his participation in order to preserve the player's fitness with the player having already played in the 2009 Toulon Tournament
, which was held the same month.
Sakho made his under-21 team
debut on 19 August 2008 in a friendly match against Slovakia
. He played in the 2009 Toulon Tournament and captained the team on two occasions serving in place of the lead captain for the tournament, Étienne Capoue
, who came off the bench. On 8 September 2009, Sakho scored his first under-21 goal in a 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
match against the Ukraine
. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. A month later, he was installed as the first-choice captain of the team following the selection of former captain Moussa Sissoko
to the senior team
. Sakho will lead the squad into the upcoming 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
.
On 5 August 2010, Sakho was called up to the senior team
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
for the team's friendly match against Norway
on 11 August 2010. He didn't make his international debut in the match, but was subsequently called up by Blanc for national team matches in September and October. On 17 November, Sakho made his senior international debut against England
. He appeared as a substitute at the start of the second half for Philippe Mexès
.
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
. He primarily plays as a centre back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for his club, but can also deputized as a left back if necessary. Sakho is known for his leadership credentials, his tireless engine, hard-working attitude, and his tackling ability. He has also been praised for his "physical and tactical qualities". Sakho is also known for his eccentric hairstyles he often displays while playing and has earned the nickname Kirikou
Kirikou and the Sorceress
Kirikou and the Sorceress is a 1998 Franco-Belgian animated film written and directed by Michel Ocelot. Drawn directly from West African folk tales, it tells of how a newborn boy saves his village by ridding them of the evil witch Karaba...
by club supporters as a result.
Of Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese descent, Sakho started his career at Paris FC
Paris FC
Paris Football Club is a French association football club based in Paris. The club was founded in 1969 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third level of French football. Paris plays its home matches at the Stade Charléty located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris...
in 1996 before moving to professional club Paris Saint-Germain in 2002. After excelling in the youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
, Sakho earned a call up the senior team by manager Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
. In October 2007, on his league debut, he became the youngest player ever to captain a Ligue 1 club after wearing the armband in the club's 0–0 draw with Valenciennes
Valenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club is a French association football club based in Valenciennes. The club was founded in 1913 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Valenciennes plays its home matches at the recently-built Stade du Hainaut located within the city...
. Since making his debut with the club, Sakho has become an integral part of the team earning starting berths in the first 11 under managers Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
and Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré is a manager of football Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender.-Early life and career:...
. Sakho's playing style and ability have led to the media and former players drawing comparisons to former French international
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
Lilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram is a retired professional football defender and is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, and one of the twenty most capped players of all time.He played at the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, including ten in the Serie A with both...
.
Sakho is both a French youth international
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
and senior international
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. He has earned caps and captained all youth levels. Before earning his first call-up to the senior team, Sakho was playing on the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
serving as the captain. He earned his first call-up to the senior team in August 2010. Sakho made his senior international debut in November 2010 against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Early life and career
Sakho was born in Paris and was the fourth child of a family of seven children. He was raised in the northern neighborhood of Goutte d'OrGoutte d'Or
The Goutte d'Or is a neighbourhood in Paris, located in the 18th arrondissement. It is also known as "Little Africa".The neighborhood has large numbers of African and Arab residents. It is known for its open-air market, le marché Dejean. Additionally, some neighborhood associations organise...
, which is commonly referred to as "Little Africa". Sakho started his football career at age six playing for the juniors of hometown club Paris FC
Paris FC
Paris Football Club is a French association football club based in Paris. The club was founded in 1969 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third level of French football. Paris plays its home matches at the Stade Charléty located in the 13th arrondissement of Paris...
. In 2002, he was lured away to professional club Paris Saint-Germain. Sakho was originally a striker, but due to Paris Saint-Germain's youth team having fewer defenders than strikers, he was moved into a more defensive role.
Sakho struggled to adapt during his first year at the Camp des Loges
Camp des Loges
The Camp des Loges is the training centre and club headquarters of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. It is located in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which is in the western suburbs of Paris. Following the foundation of Paris Saint-Germain in 1974, the Camp des Loges began operating...
, the headquarters of the club's youth academy
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
, often refusing to accept orders handed out by the trainers, such as when to go to bed. At one point, he was threatened with expulsion from the club due to his constant bad behavior. Following guidance from his parents and, particularly, under-13 Paris Saint-Germain coach Christian Mas, Sakho curbed his bad behavior and began to focus on his studies and football. When Sakho was 14, his father suddenly died. The resulting pain led to Sakho considering leaving football, but he later described that idea as "useless" and returned to the club after bereavement. Sakho quickly became one of the club's most sought after prospects winning numerous MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
awards during his time in the youth academy. In April 2005, he was a part of the Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
team that won the 2005–06 Coupe Nationale. That same year, he was apart of the Paris Saint-Germain under-18 team that won the Championnat National des 18 ans league title, despite being three years younger than many of his teammates.
In total, Sakho spent nearly six years at the Camp des Loges
Camp des Loges
The Camp des Loges is the training centre and club headquarters of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. It is located in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which is in the western suburbs of Paris. Following the foundation of Paris Saint-Germain in 1974, the Camp des Loges began operating...
. A day after his 17th birthday, manager Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
called the youngster up for the club's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
Round of 32 first leg match against AEK Athens. Sakho started the match picking up a yellow card in the 20th minute. He played 85 minutes before being substituted out as Paris Saint-Germain won the match 2–0. That was his only appearance of the 2006–07 season.
Paris Saint-Germain
On 14 June 2007, Sakho signed his first professional contract agreeing to a three-year deal. He was officially promoted to the senior side for the 2007–08 season, despite being only 17 years old, and was assigned the first team number 3 shirt. Mamadou made his first start that season for Paris Saint-Germain in the club's 3–0 win over LorientFC Lorient
Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient. The club was founded in 1926 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Lorient plays its home matches at the Stade du Moustoir located within the city. The team is managed by Christian...
in the Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
on 26 September 2007, starting in the centre back role alongside the experienced Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n Mario Yepes
Mario Yepes
Mario Alberto Yepes Díaz is a Colombian professional footballer, who plays as a defender for Serie A club Milan. He has also been the captain of the Colombian national team since 2008.- Club career :...
. Sakho made his league debut on 20 October against Valeciennes
Valenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club is a French association football club based in Valenciennes. The club was founded in 1913 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Valenciennes plays its home matches at the recently-built Stade du Hainaut located within the city...
in a 0–0 draw. In an effort to galvanize the questionable leadership of several senior team players, such as first-team captain Pauleta
Pauleta
Pedro Miguel Carreiro Resendes, OIH , commonly known as Pauleta , is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a striker....
and vice-captain Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand is a French professional football player in the left fullback position, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1 championship....
, Le Guen named Sakho captain for the match. Sakho's role as captain made him the youngest-ever captain of Paris Saint-Germain at the age of 17 years and 8 months and also the youngest player to ever captain a side in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
. In the following match against Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, he was named captain again and tasked with the role of containing fellow French starlet Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa is a French association football player who plays for English club Newcastle United in the Premier League. He plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and an attacking midfielder...
. Despite Sakho and the club putting up a strong fight, Ben Arfa scored two goals in a span of three minutes as Les Parisiens suffered a 3–2 defeat. In the club's following match against Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
, Sakho picked up an extensive injury, which ruled him out for two months. He returned to action on 23 February 2008, playing the entire match in a 1–1 draw against Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
. On 29 March, Sakho started and play the full 90 minutes in the Paris Saint-Germain's 2–1 victory over Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
in the 2008 Coupe de la Ligue Final
Coupe de la Ligue Final 2008
The Coupe de la Ligue Final 2008 was a football match that was held at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on March 29, 2008. It was contested between Paris Saint-Germain and RC Lens. It was PSG's 4th appearance in the final. They won the inaugural cup in 1995, won again in 1998, and lost to FC...
. The victory awarded Sakho the first major trophy of his career. In total that season, Sakho made 16 appearances.
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
, and made it to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. On 30 January 2009, due to his positive play and clubs from abroad constantly inquiring for his services, Paris Saint-Germain awarded Sakho a contract extension until the June 2012. Two weeks later, he scored his first career goal for the club in a league match against Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
on 14 February 2009, a day after his 19th birthday. The goal gave Paris Saint-Germain a 1–0 lead and the club went on to win the match 2–1.
Sakho opened the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Ligue 1
The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated...
as the incumbent starter partnering either veterans Sammy Traoré
Sammy Traoré
Sammy Traoré is a French and Malian football defender, who currently a free agent. He makes good use of the stepover technique, rarely seen in defenders, to maintain possession and also start an attacking move....
or Zoumana Camara
Zoumana Camara
Zoumana Camara is a French footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. as a central defender.-Club career:...
in defense. Midway through the season, Sakho was embroiled in controversy when he allegedly slapped a Le Parisien
Le Parisien
Le Parisien is a French daily newspaper covering both international and national news, and local news of Paris and its suburbs. It was established as Le Parisien libéré by Émilien Amaury in 1944, and the name was changed to the current one in 1986...
newspaper journalist at the Camp des Loges
Camp des Loges
The Camp des Loges is the training centre and club headquarters of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. It is located in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which is in the western suburbs of Paris. Following the foundation of Paris Saint-Germain in 1974, the Camp des Loges began operating...
, the club's training center. Before the incident, Sakho had allegedly confronted the journalist to question the accuracy of an article he had written referring to the controversy surrounding why Sakho went to a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
following Paris Saint-Germain's embarrassing loss to Lorient
FC Lorient
Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient. The club was founded in 1926 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Lorient plays its home matches at the Stade du Moustoir located within the city. The team is managed by Christian...
hours earlier. Sakho reportedly insulted the journalist and then slapped him before walking away. The journalist, who preferred to remain anonymous
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
, filed a complaint the following day with both he and the newspaper describing Sakho's attitude as "unprofessional". Paris Saint-Germain president Robin Leproux and manager Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré is a manager of football Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender.-Early life and career:...
issued an apology on the club's behalf and Sakho later apologized to the journalist by telephone.
Sakho started the 2010–11 campaign
2010–11 in French football
The 2010–11 season is the 78th season of competitive professional football in France. The league season began on 6 August 2010 for the Championnat National and Ligue 2 and on 7 August for Ligue 1 and the Championnat de France amateur. The season concluded on 26 May 2011 for Ligue 2, 27 May for the...
partnering with Camara in defense. He was also installed as the team's captain in the UEFA Europa League by manager Kombouaré due to the unavailability of Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélelé Sinda is a retired football player who used to play as a defensive midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Prior to joining Paris Saint-Germain, Makélélé played for Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and Chelsea...
. Midway through August, Sakho began appearing in the centre back position alongside veteran Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand
Sylvain Armand is a French professional football player in the left fullback position, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1 championship....
. He scored his first goal of the season on 11 September 2010 in a 4–0 victory over Arles-Avignon. In Europe, Sakho captained the team in their 5–4 aggregate victory over Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i club Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League playoff round. He accomplished this feat again in the group stage leading the team to a 2–0 victory over Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
club Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Lviv. Named after the Carpathian Mountains, they are one of perennial mid-table clubs in Ukraine.-Early years :...
. On 16 October, Sakho scored the game-winning goal in a 2–0 victory over Toulouse
Toulouse FC
Toulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
. In the team's first match following the winter break, he scored his third goal of the campaign in Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
. After a prolonged period of negotiations, on 8 March 2011, Sakho signed a two-year contract extension with the club until June 2014. On 20 April, he captained the team to a 3–1 victory over Angers
Angers SCO
Angers Sporting Club de l'Ouest is a French association football club based in Angers. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second division of French football having achieved promotion to the league in 2007. Angers play its home matches at the Stade Jean Bouin located...
in the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. The victory inserted the club into the 2011 Coupe de France Final
2011 Coupe de France Final
The 2011 Coupe de France Final was the 93rd final of France's most prestigious football cup competition. The final took place on 14 May 2011 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and was contested between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille...
; the club's second consecutive appearance in the competition's final match. Paris Saint-Germain lost the match 1–0 to Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
. On 10 May, Sakho was nominated for the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award. Two weeks later, he won the honour. Sakho was also named to the organization's Team of the Year alongside club teammate Nenê.
International career
Sakho has been active with FranceFrance national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
on the youth level
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
. As early as the age of 13, he began featuring with regional youth sides playing for Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
alongside fellow youth internationals Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Rennes in Ligue 1. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a "technically gifted player"...
, Tripy Makonda
Tripy Makonda
Tripy Makonda is a French football player who currently plays for French club Stade Brestois 29. He plays as a left back, but can also be utilized as a midfielder on the same side. Makonda is a France youth international and has represented his nation at under-18, under-19, and under-20 level...
, Maxime Partouche
Maxime Partouche
Maxime Partouche is a French footballer who currently plays for US Créteil-Lusitanos.-Football career:...
, and Sébastien Corchia
Sébastien Corchia
Sébastien Corchia is a French footballer who currently plays for French club Sochaux in Ligue 1. He plays in the right back position and can also play as a wing back and midfielder on the same side. Corchia is known for his attacking instincts and renowned free kick ability...
. Sakho made debut for the under-16 team
France national under-16 football team
The France national under-16 football team is the national under-16 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team previously competed in the annual UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship before it was converted into an under-17 competition in 2002...
on 21 March 2006 in a friendly match against Germany
Germany national youth football team
This article includes current squads of Germany U20, U19, U18, U17, U16 and U15 national football teams.-Current technical staff:- Germany national under-20 squad :- Germany national under-19 squad :- Germany national under-18 squad :...
in a 3–1 victory. He scored his only goal for the team in their 1–0 victory over England
England national under-16 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the Victory Shield match against Scotland.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England U-16 squad and remain eligible.-External links:*...
in the Montaigu Tournament
Montaigu Tournament
The Montaigu Tournament is an international association football competition that is contested by under-16 national teams. The tournament was founded in 1973 by Dutchman André Van Den Brink who was the president of FC Montaigu, a French amateur football team...
. France later won the competition defeating Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
2–1 in the final. With the under-17 team
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
, Sakho made his debut in the team's opening match against Cyprus
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
in an international youth tournament. Midway through the season, Sakho was named captain by coach François Blaquart who noticed the player's leadership skills. Under Sakho's leadership, the team reached the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
The UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
and, later, the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007 was held in the Korea Republic between 18 August and 9 September 2007. For this event, the number of teams had been expanded from 16 to 24, with the top two of each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the Round of 16...
by virtue of their semi-final appearance in the UEFA-sanctioned tournament. At the U-17 World Cup, which was held in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Sakho captained the team to a quarterfinal appearance where they lost to Spain on penalties.
Due his increased playing time with his parent club, Sakho only made four appearances with the under-18 team
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...
. He made his debut for the team on 18 December 2007 in a friendly match against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
and later featured in two friendly matches against Germany, one of which was played at the GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau
GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau
The Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau is a multi-use stadium in the Degerloch district in Stuttgart, Germany. The stadium is situated approximately 200m besides the Fernsehturm Stuttgart and holds 11,410 spectators , which makes it the second biggest stadium in Stuttgart....
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
. Similarly with the under-19 team
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
, Sakho's play with the team was limited not only due to his playing time with Paris Saint-Germain, but also due to his commitments with the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
. Despite making only four appearances with the team, he was selected to play in the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-Top goalscorers:4 goals Nathan Delfouneso3 goals Henri Lansbury Danijel Aleksić Denys Harmash-External links:*...
. Paris Saint-Germain, however, refused his participation in order to preserve the player's fitness with the player having already played in the 2009 Toulon Tournament
2009 Toulon Tournament
The 2009 Toulon Tournament was the 37th edition of the Toulon Tournament, and was held from 3 June to 12 June 2009. The tournament concluded with the final between France and Chile at Stade Mayol in Toulon as Chile won their first title after the final score of 1–0, scored by Gerson Martínez...
, which was held the same month.
Sakho made his under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
debut on 19 August 2008 in a friendly match against Slovakia
Slovakia national under-21 football team
The Slovakia national under-21 football team, controlled by the Slovak Football Association, is Slovakia's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Slovakia national football team.-European Under-21 Championship record:...
. He played in the 2009 Toulon Tournament and captained the team on two occasions serving in place of the lead captain for the tournament, Étienne Capoue
Étienne Capoue
Étienne Capoue is a French football player who currently plays for French club Toulouse in Ligue 1. He can play as either a defensive midfielder or defender. Capoue was a French youth international having earned caps at under-18, under-19, and under-21 level. Capoue served as captain for a portion...
, who came off the bench. On 8 September 2009, Sakho scored his first under-21 goal in a 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
The 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship started with a qualifying competition which began on 27 March 2009 and finished on 13 October 2010. The final tournament is being held in Denmark between 11–25 June 2011....
match against the Ukraine
Ukraine national under-21 football team
The Ukraine national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine.After Ukrainian Independence in 1991, the Ukraine senior team played their first match in April 1992...
. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. A month later, he was installed as the first-choice captain of the team following the selection of former captain Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko
Moussa Sissoko is a French football player of Malian descent who currently plays for French club Toulouse in Ligue 1. He plays as a box-to-box midfielder capable of playing in either the holding role or as an attacker. Sissoko is described as a "well-rounded central midfielder" who is "tall,...
to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. Sakho will lead the squad into the upcoming 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011....
.
On 5 August 2010, Sakho was called up to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
for the team's friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
on 11 August 2010. He didn't make his international debut in the match, but was subsequently called up by Blanc for national team matches in September and October. On 17 November, Sakho made his senior international debut against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. He appeared as a substitute at the start of the second half for Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Italian Serie A club Milan and for the French national team.-Auxerre:...
.
Club
(Correct as of 27 October 2011)| Club | Season | League | CupIncludes Coupe de France Coupe de France The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation... , Coupe de la Ligue Coupe de la Ligue The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel... , Trophée des Champions Trophée des champions The Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... Includes UEFA Supercup |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2006–07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Ligue 1 The 2010–11 Ligue 1 season was the 73rd since its establishment. Entering the season, Marseille were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 21 May 2010 and the season began on 7 August and ended on 29 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 23 December and 15 January 2011... |
31 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Ligue 1 The 2011–12 Ligue 1 season is the 74th since its establishment. Lille are the defending champions. The league schedule was announced on 31 March 2011 and the fixtures were determined on 10 June. The season began on 6 August 2011 and will end on 20 May 2012... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 102 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 136 | 5 | 1 | |
| Career total | 102 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 136 | 5 | 1 | |
International
- (Correct as of 15 November 2011)
National team Season Apps Goals Assists France France national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...2010–11 4 0 0 2011–12 1 0 0 Total 5 0 0
Club
Paris Saint-Germain- Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
(1): 2007–08 - Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
(1): 2009–102010 Coupe de France FinalThe 2010 Coupe de France Final was the 92nd final of France's most prestigious cup competition. The final took place on 1 May 2010 at the Stade de France in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis. The match was contested between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain...
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
Young Player of the Year (1): 2010–11 - UNFP Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
Team of the Year (1): 2010–11