Mamadou Sylla (footballer, born 1994)
Senegalese footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mamadou Sylla Diallo (born 20 March 1994) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Arabian club Al-Riyadh.
|
Sylla in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mamadou Sylla Diallo | ||
| Date of birth | 20 March 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Kédougou, Senegal | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Riyadh | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2011 | Barcelona | ||
| 2011–2012 | Mataró | ||
| 2012–2013 | Espanyol | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2015 | Espanyol B | 64 | (15) |
| 2015 | → Racing Santander (loan) | 11 | (3) |
| 2015–2017 | Espanyol | 14 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Eupen (loan) | 35 | (12) |
| 2017–2020 | Gent | 29 | (1) |
| 2018 | → Zulte Waregem (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2019 | → Sint-Truiden (loan) | 13 | (4) |
| 2020 | → Orenburg (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Girona | 37 | (9) |
| 2021–2023 | Alavés | 34 | (4) |
| 2022 | → Rayo Vallecano (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Valladolid | 58 | (13) |
| 2025– | Al-Riyadh | 25 | (8) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 April 2026 | |||
Career
Born in Kédougou,[1] Sylla moved to Spain in 2004, aged ten, and joined FC Barcelona's youth setup in 2009.[2] He subsequently represented CE Mataró and RCD Espanyol, and made his senior debuts with the latter's reserve team in 2013, in Segunda División B.
On 27 March 2015 Sylla joined Segunda División strugglers Racing de Santander on loan until the end of the campaign, as a short-term replacement to injured Mamadou Koné.[3] He played his first match as a professional on 5 April, starting in a 2–0 home loss against UE Llagostera.[4]
Six days later Sylla scoring his first professional goal, netting a last-minute winner in a 3–2 away win against RCD Mallorca.[5] He returned to the Pericos in June, scoring three goals in 11 appearances but suffering team relegation.
Sylla made his debut in the main category of Spanish football on 27 September 2015, coming on as a second-half substitute for Víctor Sánchez in a 3–0 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.[6] On 3 December, he scored his first goal for the team, coming off the bench to open a 1–1 draw at Levante UD in the first leg of the last 16 of that season's Copa del Rey.[7]
On 11 July 2016, Sylla was loaned to Belgian club KAS Eupen for one year.[8] He subsequently joined KAA Gent permanently, but served loan stints at SV Zulte-Waregem and Sint-Truidense VV.
On 5 January 2020, Sylla signed with Russian Premier League side FC Orenburg on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season.[9][10] On 9 October, he returned to Spain after joining second division side Girona on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.[11]
On 20 August 2021, Sylla agreed to a three-year deal with La Liga side Deportivo Alavés.[12] The following 31 January, he moved to fellow league team Rayo Vallecano on loan for the remainder of the season.[13]
Back to the Babazorros for the 2022–23 season, Sylla scored four times as the club returned to the top tier at first attempt. On 1 September 2023, he terminated his contract with the club,[14][15] and signed a one-year deal with Real Valladolid just hours later.[15][16]
On 23 August 2025, Sylla joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Riyadh.[17]
Career statistics
- As of match played on 1 July 2024[18]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Espanyol B | 2012–13 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | Segunda División B | 33 | 6 | — | — | 33 | 6 | |||
| 2014–14 | Segunda División B | 30 | 9 | — | — | 30 | 9 | |||
| Total | 64 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 15 | ||
| Racing Santander (loan) | 2014–15 | Segunda División | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 3 | |
| Espanyol | 2015–16 | La Liga | 14 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 17 | 1 | |
| Eupen (loan) | 2016–17 | Belgian First Division A | 35 | 12 | 4 | 1 | — | 39 | 13 | |
| Gent | 2017–18 | Belgian First Division A | 28 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2[b] | 0 | 32 | 2 |
| 2019–20 | Belgian First Division A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 2 | ||
| Zulte Waregem (loan) | 2018–19 | Belgian First Division A | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | |
| Sint-Truiden (loan) | 2018–19 | Belgian First Division A | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 4 | |
| Orenburg (loan) | 2019–20 | Russian Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
| Girona | 2020–21 | Segunda División | 36 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4[c] | 2 | 42 | 11 |
| 2021–22 | Segunda División | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 37 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 43 | 11 | ||
| Alavés | 2021–22 | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 15 | 2 | |
| 2022–23 | Segunda División | 19 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4[d] | 1 | 26 | 6 | |
| 2023–24 | La Liga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 34 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 43 | 8 | ||
| Rayo Vallecano (loan) | 2021–22 | La Liga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| Valladolid | 2023–24 | Segunda División | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 8 | |
| 2024–25 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 8 | |||
| Career total | 297 | 57 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 329 | 66 | ||
- Includes Copa del Rey, Belgian Cup
- Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in the 2021 Segunda División play-offs
- Appearances in the 2023 Segunda División play-offs