PAPA BOUBA DIOP

'Papa Bouba Diop' (born January 28, 1978 in Dakar) is a Senegalese footballer, who currently plays for the Senegal national football team, and for Portsmouth FC.

Contents

Early Years

Espoir Dakar

Diaraaf Dakar

Vevey Sports

Neuchâtel Xamax

Grasshoppers Zürich

RC Lens

Fulham F.C.

Portsmouth F.C.

Senegal National Team

References

External links

Early Years

Papa Bouba Diop was born in the poor shantytowns of Dakar, where he was subject to local gang violence (street fights etc.) and drugs at an early age. He never took drugs, but the influence was all around him where he lived. At a very young age, he excelled in football, and would play everyday on the streets, barefoot, with a ball usually made of old rags and sheets. He has confessed that occaisonally he would even cut school with his friends, to play a game of football at the local playground.

Espoir Dakar

He started his career with Espoir Dakar at the tender age of 15, though he never played for Espoir Dakar he was touted as one of Senegals rising stars. He made his Academy debut one month after joining the club but didn't play again. He left Espoir Dakar in 1994 at the age of 16 to join Diaraaf Dakar, where he would a more successful time then when he joined Espoir Dakar.

Diaraaf Dakar

After leaving minnows Espoir Dakar, he joined mid-table Senaglese club Diaraaf Dakar for free, where he was yet again touted for greatness at his new club. In all he played 5 games for the Academy team and was presented with a winners' medal as part of his contract, even though he scored no goals and made no assist, head academy coach Raymond Cubillier described Bouba Diops' contribution as ''fantastic'' and also said that if Bouba Diop was a year older he probably would've played the whole Academy season.

Vevey Sports

Bouba Diop then joined third in the table club Vevey Sports, where he played half Under-17 league season and won the Under-17 cup, scoring 1 goal, which was a 25-yard bullet which went at a marvelous 78 miles-per hour, ironically the goal was against his parent club Espoir Dakar, and against his former team-mate Sylvain Diallo. The wonder strike would eventually earn Bouba Diop interest from Neuchâtel Xamax who were top of the Swiss Aspo Division 2.

Neuchâtel Xamax

At the tender age of 19 Bouba Diop was thrown straight into the first-team and became Neuchâtel Xamax youngest-ever player. There his potentials was realised and he became known, for his power, his aggressiveness, his pin-point passing, his commitment, his mentality, his exceptional tackling ability, and most of all is shot power. He stayed at Neuchâtel Xamax for 4 years earning 201 games and 9 nine goals (8 of which were from outside the box, and one of which was a penalty).

Grasshoppers Zürich

After his impressive career with Neuchâtel Xamax, he joined Swiss giants Grasshoppers Zurich and played the whole Swiss season winning the double and scoring a 30-yard belter in the Swiss Cup final, he won the Swiss golden ball, and was named the Swiss cup finals' man of the match.. The Swiss Cup final brought lots of plaudits from all around Europe and interest came from various clubs such as Ajax, Lyon, Marseille, Juventus, and Arsenal. He eventually signed for RC Lens on a free after his contract with Grasshoppers Zürich expired.

RC Lens

He had another season of achievement with RC Lens, scoring 2 goals in his first season (both of which were penalties) he also lead RC Lens to the semi finals of the French cup where RC Lens were eliminated by Olympique Marseille on penalties. After an impressive season with RC Lens he was chosen to participate in the 2002 World cup which saw him rise to global fame, after he scored a stunning goal to beat current champions France 1 - 0, and after the win over France he also scored 2 in the 3 - 3 draw with Uruguay. In 2004 he left RC Lens to join Fulham F.C. for a reported £2million.

Fulham F.C.

Before he played for Fulham, he had a successful trial at Portsmouth FC, however Fulham came in quickly an offered him a contract. He started his career with Fulham brilliantly, scoring a 35-yard thunderbolt on his home debut against Manchester United, and a 20-yard strike on his away debut, against local rivals Chelsea (the derby ended 1 - 0 to Fulham). He also scored a last-minute header, away at West Brom, to guarantee 3 points for Fulham, and another season in the Premiership. He played 78 games for Fulham, scoring 4 times.

Portsmouth F.C.

On 20 August 2007, Diop said that he expected to leave Fulham, by the time the transfer window had closed, on 31 August, admitting that he wanted a 'new challenge', and to win something (which he hasn't done in his four seasons at Fulham), or play in the UEFA Cup, or Champions League.^[1] Diop decided to join Premiership side Portsmouth on 31 August, signing a three year deal for an undisclosed fee.^[2]

Senegal National Team

He is currently the captain of Senegal, with 39 caps and 9 goals only a few caps away from being Senegal's most capped player ever. He played for Senegal in all of their five matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, notably scoring the first goal of the tournament in his team's surprising 1-0 win over defending world champions France.^[3] At the same tournament, he also netted a brace in Senegal's final group match against Uruguay, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

References

1. Diop gets go-ahead to leave Fulham
2. Portsmouth land Diop from Fulham
3. Senegal stun France

External links

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★ Profile, stats and pictures of Bouba Diop