LFCHistory.net

Djibril Cissé

Birthdate: 12 August 1981 Birthplace: Arles, France Other clubs: Auxerre (1999-2004), Olympique Marseille (loan 2006-07 + transfer 2007-09), Sunderland (loan 2008-09), Panathinaikos (2009-11), Lazio (2011-12), Queens Park Rangers (2012-), Al Gharafa (loan 2013) Bought from: Auxerre Signed for LFC: £14.5m, 01.07.2004 International debut: 18.05.2002 vs. Belgium International caps: 41/9 (14/6 at LFC) - 07.10.2011

Liverpool debut: 10.08.2004 Last appearance: 13.05.2006 Debut goal: 14.08.2004 Last goal: 13.05.2006 Contract expiry: 09.07.2007 Win ratio: 62.03% W: 49 D: 15 L: 15 Games/goals ratio: 3.29 Total games/goals opposite LFC: 6 / 1 LFC league games/goals: 49 / 13 Total LFC games/goals: 79 / 24

Player profile

Cissé joined Auxerre as a youngster and his star shone brightly in 2001/02, scoring all kinds of goals, some of them truly spectacular, and finished as top-scorer in France with 22 goals from 29 league games. Houllier was a firm admirer and signalled his intentions to his old friend Guy Roux, Auxerre's manager. "Gérard and I speak all the time and it does not usually take him long to get round to the subject of Djibril," revealed Roux. "There is no denying Djibril's game would flourish in the English game. With his pace he would be one of the most destructive strikers in the English game." Cissé realised he was going nowhere yet and had a somewhat disappointing 2002/03 season, scoring 14 goals in 33 league games. In the summer of 2003 Roux persuaded him to stay for one more season. Liverpool-bound Cissé played superbly in his final season and scored 26 goals in 38 league games and was again king of the scoring charts in the French league. He was top-scorer by a good margin of six from Alexander Frei at Rennes and seven from Marseille's star striker Didier Drogba. Cissé scored 70 goals in 128 league games during his six seasons at Auxerre.

Ironically two weeks before Cissé's arrival at Anfield on 1 July 2004 Houllier had left the club by mutual consent. He now had to impress former Valencia boss, Rafa Benítez. By October Cissé admitted to LFC Magazine he was struggling in his new surroundings: "The game is much faster and more physical than I am used to and I am being singled out for close marking. Milan [Baros] likes to have the ball at his feet and the goal in front of him so he can run at players and commit them, getting in behind them and shooting. I like the ball in space so I have time to assess my options. I think we can blend together well," Cissé said convincingly. In only his fifteenth game for Liverpool, having scored three goals, Cissé suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula of his left leg against Blackburn on 30 October 2004. He was out of action for six months returning in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Juventus. If he hadn't been given the right treatment Cissé's career might have ended there and then: "When they took me from the field what they did was so important for my career," Cissé said. "My bones were overlapping and I had no circulation in my foot. They had to pull my bones back into place with their hands. If they had waited until I got to the hospital I might have lost my leg." Cissé was a substitute in nine of the ten games he featured in the rest of the season including the Istanbul final where he played 35 minutes and scored Liverpool's second penalty in the shoot-out.

Cissé scored six goals in his first nine matches of the 2005/06 season but the majority of them came against weak opponents in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League. He was happy with his progress: "I was worried about getting back my acceleration," he said. "But in the tests, I was the one who jumped the highest and ran the fastest. No one at Liverpool can beat me. Djibril is back!" Two of his goals came though on a big stage in the Super Cup final against CSKA Moscow when he guaranteed a 3-1 victory in extra-time. He didn't command a regular place in the team but two starts inspired winning goals in two consecutive games in the middle of October against Blackburn and Anderlecht. However, Cissé struggled to find any consistency as the season progressed and Rafa was not too happy: "At Auxerre he didn't have any responsibility for defending or the tactics of the team. Now at a big club like Liverpool he needs to learn that he has to work for his teammates, who are also very good players. He has to understand the difference between a club that plays to win games and a club that plays to win trophies." In January 2006 Cissé had to deny claims made by his brother and one-time agent Hamed that a deal with Marseille was "90 per cent done" and insisted: "I'm in Liverpool for three more seasons and I'm not going to leave. It hurt me because it's my own family who talk rubbish." However, Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo insisted his club would continue their pursuit: "In football what you say one day might not be true any more the next."

Cissé scored one goal from middle of November to the middle of March but finished the season with a flourish. He scored seven goals in his last ten games including the opening goal in the FA Cup final win over West Ham. As Liverpool were in contract discussions with Marseille and Lyon over Cissé's transfer he suffered another double fracture of the tibia and fibula, this time of his right leg, in a friendly for France against China. He missed the World Cup but Anigo's prediction came true when a loan deal was agreed that took him to Marseille in July 2006. Cissé scored 15 goals in 25 games including two in the cup final against Sochaux which Marseille lost after a penalty shoot-out. After lengthy negotiations the player was sold to Marseille early in July 2007 for a fee of £6 million. Cissé scored 22 goals in 50 matches for Marseille in 2007/08 but he wanted a return to England where his wife was still living. In August 2008 he signed a one-year loan deal with Sunderland where he played 38 games and scored 11 goals. He struggled for goals in the second half of the season so the Black Cats didn't take up the option to sign him. Cissé returned to Marseille but within a few weeks the French club had negotiated a £6.8 million transfer that took him to Panathinaikos.

Djibril Cissé's 23 league goals helped Panathinaikos to the Greek championship in 2010. His club also won the Greek cup to complete a domestic double. He added another twenty goals in his second full season in Greece and his efficiency secured him a four-year contract with Italian Serie A club Lazio in July 2011. He had only scored five goals in 27 matches when he returned to England a few months later and signed for Queens Park Rangers. Cissé's first few weeks with the west-London club were certainly eventful. He scored on his debut at Aston Villa but was sent off in the next match against Wolves. He then scored against Liverpool before being again dismissed, at Sunderland. On the final day of the season he scored at Manchester City and although Rangers lost they retained their place in the Premier League because Bolton could only draw at Stoke City. Incredibly, Cissé had either scored or been sent off in the eight matches he played for Rangers between 1 February and 13 May! QPR struggled under Mark Hughes in the 2012/13 season and Cissé, who had only scored one League goal come November, was criticised by a QPR fan on Twitter who claimed Cissé "couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo". Cissé in turn responded on the popular social medium: “Come and have a chat big man. When u feel like talking to me face to face just come,” posting QPR’s training-ground address. Cissé was loaned to Al Gharafa in Quatar in January 2013.

Stats note

Related Articles

Djibril Cissé in profile

Djibril Cissé who made a deal with Liverpool in January to join them on the 1st of July 2004 is the king of the scoring charts in the French league for the second time in the last three seasons.More

The severity of Cisse's injury

Liverpool's doctor talks about Cisse's injury on liverpoolfc.tvMore

Cissé's amazing recovery

Djibril Cissé talked about his remarkable recovery from double fractured leg on liverpoolfc.tv in April 2005.More

Cissé becomes Lord of the Manor of Frodsham

Djibril became the Lord of the Manor of Frodsham in 2005 when he bought a house in Frodsham for £2m. The previous owner Raymond Longster sold the title along with the estate. More

Pimp my bride! - Cissé's wedding photo

Djibril Cissé and Jude Littler got married on 18th June 2005 in Bodelwyddan Castle in north Wales. Cissé wore an outrageous red three-piece suit.More

Daily Post report

Match report from the Daily Post on Liverpool vs Blackburn on 13.10.2005More

Benitez unmoved by Cissé's best shot

By Andy Hunter at The Independent. Published: 23 November 2005. More

Djibril Cissé - Le grande enigma

I'm a big fan of Cissé, but his inconsistency doesn't stretch match to match, but minute to minute. It’s enough to leave you pulling out your Mohican. Article from Paul Tomkins in January 2006. More

Cissé back on target

The Telegraph match report on Liverpool - Aston Villa on 15.05.2005. More

Djibril can win his battle. I overcame same injury

Written by Chris Bascombe for the Liverpool Echo on 1 November 2004.More

Happier Cisse now chasing 20 goals

An article by Paul Walker in the Liverpool Daily Post on 21 October 2005.More

Djibril can win his battle

LIVERPOOL'S Djibril Cisse will find inspiration within his own dressing room as he begins a painful rehabilitation from an horrific broken leg today. From 1 November 2004.More

Related Quotes

"Real approached me two years ago and repeated their offer last year. As there was no way of discussing it, they went to look elsewhere."

Cissé in February 2004

"I'm not yet at Thierry Henry's level. I don't think you can compare us as players at the moment because it's an insult to Thierry Henry.

People often try to compare me to him when he was starting off, but there are still light years between us. Maybe we've got speed in common, but he's more subtle. I'm a real brute compared to him. But I try and draw inspiration from him."

Cissé on July 1st 2004

"My bones were overlapping and I had no circulation in my foot. They had to give me drugs to help with the pain and then they had to pull my bones back into place with their hands. If they had waited until I had got to the hospital I might have lost my leg - it was that serious."

Cissé describes his horror leg break

"Djibril had a rough year, playing out of position, and I know he didn't get on with Rafa too well, it was no surprise when he moved to Marseille. Djibril's a bit different. Some of his decisions to do with clothes, cars, tattoos and hair have me shaking my head in disbelief, but as a person Djibril's a great lad, and really caring. He'll do anything for you. I won't miss his colourful clothes, but I will miss his bright personality. I hope he enjoys better luck at Marseille than he had at Liverpool. He will always be remembered at Anfield for that Cardiff belter."

Steven Gerrard on Djibril Cissé

"Liverpool is one of the most ruthless teams in the world. Switch off for a split-second against them and they will make you pay. That's their hallmark. I could go on forever about their brilliant individuals, but they wouldn't be half the force without the organisation, commitment, intensity and the backing of the Kop."

Djibril Cissé on the power of the Kop in October 2007

"From a personal point of view, I don't feel I have anything to prove to Liverpool or Rafa Benitez. Obvious, I was irritated by his decision to play me wide on the right at times as it's well known that I'm at my best through the middle. Still, this discussion is in the past now. I had my difficult moments in Liverpool, especially when I broke my leg at Blackburn, but I generally look at my two seasons there as a positive experience.

I scored goals and played my part in the club winning the FA Cup and Champions League so overall, Liverpool was good for me. How could it be otherwise? Coming from three-nil down to beat AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League Final was the greatest moment of my career and nothing can ever top it. What we achieved that night in Istanbul was incredible. On reflection I don't know how we managed it, but we did and this sort of fairy story could only happen at a club with such a glorious European pedigree as Liverpool."

Djibril Cissé on his Liverpool career in October 2007