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Birthdate:
22.01.1985
Birthplace: Mont Saint Agnain, France
Other clubs: Auxerre, Brest (on loan), Valencia
Bought from: Valencia
Signed for LFC: £5600000 14.07.2005
International debut: 19.11.2003 vs. Morocco?
International caps: Mali 26/2 (unconfirmed)
Liverpool debut:
26.07.2005
Last appearance: 19.12.2007
Debut goal: 25.08.2007
Last goal: 25.08.2007
Contract expiry: 28.01.2008
LFC league games/goals: 51 / 1
Total LFC games/goals: 87 / 1
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Player Notes:
Born to Mali parents in France, Sissoko opted to play for Mali. Sissoko is best described as having a biting tackle and elegance on the ball. Benítez bought him from Auxerre to Valencia in 2003 where he had been nurtured in Auxerre's respected academy. Benítez didn't hesitate to play Sissoko despite his young age and he played his part in Valencia's side which won the Primera Liga and UEFA Cup in 2004.
Liverpool captured Sissoko straight from under Everton's noses as the Blues were about to capture the promising midfielder. Benítez made big claims that "Momo" will be a better player than Vieira as he will develop. Momo didn't need time to adjust to the pace of the Premiership and had a great debut season, his hyperactive performances in the middle of the park earning him rave reviews. It was a dramatic first season as an eye injury received vs. Benfica in the Champions League in February 2006 threatened to end his playing career and still affects his vision today. When he returned a month later, he had to wear safety googles, which he soon discarded as they were steaming up.
Momo begun his second season well and was man of the match in Liverpool's win over Chelsea in the Community Shield. As the season progressed he wasn't his usual self, whether his eye injury had affected his confidence or just plainly finding it more tough in his 2nd season when his performances were not as surprising to his opponents and they gave him a harder time. Momo suffered another bad injury vs. Birmingham in the 4th round of the League Cup in November 2006, dislocating his shoulder and was out of action for three months. Javier Mascherano's arrival also meant more competition in midfield, but he welcomed the challenge. Momo still has to improve on the technical aspects of his game, namely his close control and passing. He was transferred to Juventus after losing out in the battle for place in Liverpool's midfield.
As the 2007-08 season began, Momo found himself on the bench for the opening two games against Aston Villa and Toulouse, was out of the squad completely for the first home League match against Chelsea but found himself playing from the start at Sunderland a week later, where he amazed everyone (including probably himself!) by scoring his first Liverpool goal with a sweet strike from the edge of the penalty-area. It was also his last Liverpool goal because it became clear as far as the manager was concerned that Sissoko was 'surplus to requirements'. He started the League cup tie at Chelsea a few days before Christmas, 2007 but it was the last time he would pull on a Liverpool shirt. By the end of January, 2008 he was a Juventus player but at least the club made a decent profit on the reported £5+ million they had paid Valencia in 2005. If he hadn't had the bad eye and shoulder injuries that kept him on the sidelines for so long, Sissoko's stay in England might have been longer. Many were sorry to see him leave but it is a fact that there was plenty of competition for his position in the team so maybe it was the right time for him to move on.
Sissoko only played in 15 first-team matches for Juventus in 2008-09 but would double that the following season. Juve finished League runners-up to Inter-Milan in 2009. Since leaving England for Italy, Momo has continued to represent his country, Mali, in the African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers.
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