Assan Ceesay
Gambian footballer
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Assan Torrez Ceesay (born 17 March 1994) is a Gambian professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Gambia national team.[1]
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Assan Torrez Ceesay | ||
| Date of birth | 17 March 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Banjul, The Gambia | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1][2] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2014 | Gamtel Banjul | 3 | (3) |
| 2014–2015 | Casa Sports | ||
| 2015–2016 | ASC Niarry Tally | ||
| 2016 | Lugano II | 12 | (12) |
| 2016–2018 | Lugano | 17 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | → Chiasso (loan) | 31 | (8) |
| 2018–2022 | Zürich | 99 | (26) |
| 2020 | → VfL Osnabrück (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Lecce | 34 | (6) |
| 2023–2025 | Damac | 19 | (6) |
| International career‡ | |||
| Gambia U17 | 2 | (0) | |
| Gambia U20 | 8 | (3) | |
| Gambia U23 | 5 | (2) | |
| 2013– | Gambia | 41 | (13) |
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:23, 16 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 January 2024 | |||
Club career
In January 2020, Ceesay joined 2. Bundesliga side VfL Osnabrück, on loan from Swiss Super League club FC Zürich.[3]
Assan had his highlight while playing with FC Zürich in the 2021–22 Swiss Super League where he helped the team win the title by scoring 20 goals and ending the season as 2nd best top-scorer of the league that season,[4] and in third place as best assistant.[5] This made him one of best players of the Swiss League and called the attention of many clubs worldwide to sign him.
On 16 June 2022, Ceesay agreed to join newly promoted Serie A club Lecce on a two-year contract, with the option of a third, from 1 July when his contract with FC Zürich would expire.[6][7] On 14 August 2022, Ceesay scored on his league debut as Lecce was condemned to a 1-2 defeat against Inter Milan at Stadio Via del mare.[8]
On 15 August 2023, Ceesay joined Saudi Pro League club Damac FC on a three-year deal.[9]
International career
Ceesay played in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, his national team's first continental tournament, where they made it to quarter-finals.[10][11]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 4 December 2023[12]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lugano II | 2015–16 | 2. Liga Interregional | 12 | 12 | — | — | 12 | 12 | ||
| Lugano | 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | |
| 2018–19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | |||
| Total | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | ||
| Chiasso (loan) | 2017–18 | Swiss Challenge League | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 8 | |
| Zürich | 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 22 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 5 |
| 2019–20 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 33 | 3 | |||
| 2021–22 | 33 | 20 | 2 | 2 | — | 35 | 22 | |||
| Total | 99 | 26 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 112 | 31 | ||
| VfL Osnabrück (loan) | 2019–20 | 2. Bundesliga | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | |
| Lecce | 2022–23 | Serie A | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 6 | |
| Damac | 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 14 | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | 16 | 7 | |
| Career total | 218 | 62 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 236 | 69 | ||
International
- Scores and results list Gambia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ceesay goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 March 2018 | Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia |  Central African Republic | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 September 2018 | Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia |  Algeria | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 3 | 12 October 2018 | Stade Général Eyadema, Lomé, Togo |  Togo | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 10 September 2019 | Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola |  Angola | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 13 November 2019 | Estádio 11 de Novembro, Luanda, Angola | Angola | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 2–1 | |||||
| 7 | 9 October 2020 | Estádio Municipal Bela Vista, Parchal, Portugal |  Congo | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 8 | 25 March 2021 | Independence Stadium, Bakau, Gambia | Angola | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 9 | 9 October 2021 | Stade El Abdi, El Jadida, Morocco |  Sierra Leone | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 10 | 12 October 2021 | Stade El Abdi, El Jadida, Morocco |  South Sudan | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 2–0 | |||||
| 12 | 29 March 2022 | Stade Adrar, Agadir, Morocco |  Chad | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 13 | 2–1 |
Honours
Gamtel Banjul
- Gambian Cup: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013[14]
ASC Niarry Tally
- Senegal FA Cup: 2016[14]
FC Zürich
