Yacouba Sylla
Sylla with Rennes in 2016
Personal information
Full name Yacouba Sylla[1]
Date of birth (1990-11-29) 29 November 1990
Place of birth Étampes, France
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Virton
Youth career
1995–2002 Étampes
2002–2006 CSF Brétigny
2006–2007 Montferrand
2007–2008 Malesherbes
2008–2009 Caen
2009–2010 Clermont
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Clermont 65 (0)
2013–2015 Aston Villa 22 (0)
2014–2015 → Kayseri Erciyesspor (loan) 27 (1)
2015–2018 Rennes 20 (0)
2016–2017 → Montpellier (loan) 19 (1)
2017 → Panathinaikos (loan) 9 (0)
2018–2019 Mechelen 12 (0)
2019 Strømsgodset 10 (1)
2019–2020 CFR Cluj 4 (0)
2020–2021 MC Oujda 5 (0)
2022 Bastia 7 (0)
2022–2023 Botoșani 15 (0)
2023– Virton 3 (0)
International career‡
2011 France U21 1 (0)
2013–2017 Mali 35 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 September 2017

Yacouba Sylla (born 29 November 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Belgian First Division B side Virton. Born in France, he represented France as a youth international before switching to Mali at senior level.[2]

Club career

Youth career

Prior to joining Clermont, where Sylla signed his first professional contract, he had a year's stint with Ligue 1 club Caen. Before that, Sylla had started his career with hometown Parisian club Étampes FC, before joining nearby club CSF Brétigny, which produced France internationals Patrice Evra and Jimmy Briand. After four years in Brétigny, Sylla spent the next four years roaming around clubs in the Lower Normandy region such as Montferrand, Malesherbes, and Caen.[3] And then in 2009, he signed an amateur contract with Clermont where he was inserted into Clermont's reserve team for the 2009–10 season. He appeared in 17 matches scoring one goal.[4]

Clermont

For the 2010–11 season, Sylla was promoted to the senior team by manager Michel Der Zakarian. He made his professional debut on 15 October 2010 in a league match against Le Mans playing the entire match in a 2–0 defeat.[5] Sylla subsequently appeared as a starter in the team's next seven matches. His performances domestically led to interest from German club VfB Stuttgart and Italian club Udinese.[6] In order to decrease the interest Clermont signed Sylla to his first professional contract, which ran from 22 November 2010 until June 2014.[7][8]

Aston Villa

On 31 January 2013, Aston Villa completed the signing of Sylla on a three-and-a-half-year deal, subject to international clearance, after passing a medical.[9]

Loan to Kayseri Erciyesspor

On 14 July 2014, Sylla joined Turkish Super Lig club Kayseri Erciyesspor on a season-long loan.[10]

Rennes

On 22 June 2015, Sylla joined Rennes on a four-year deal, after two years at Aston Villa where he made only 22 league appearances.[11]

Loan to Panathinaikos

On 30 August 2017, Panathinaikos officially announced the signing of Malian international defensive midfielder Yacouba Sylla. He joined the Greens on loan from Rennes until the end of 2017–18 season and was the 10th summer signing of the Athens club.[12]

Mechelen

On 17 January 2018, Sylla signed a contract with YR KV Mechelen until 2021. He leaves Rennes after having been on loan at Panathinaikos since the end of August.[13]

Strømsgodset

On 1 March 2019, Sylla signed a contract until the end of the 2020 season with Norwegian club Strømsgodset Toppfotball.[14][15] On 19 May, Sylla scored his first and only goal for the Norwegians, in a 3–1 win against Tromsø IL.

CFR Cluj

On 1 July 2019, he signed a three-year contract with CFR Cluj, Romanian champions.[16]

Mouloudia

On 27 October 2020, Sylla joined Botola side MC Oudja on a two-year deal.[17]

Bastia

On 13 December 2021, Sylla signed for Ligue 2 side Bastia on a contract until the end of the season.[18]

Botoșani

On 26 July 2022, Sylla joined Botoșani in Romania with a one-year contract with an option to extend.[19]

International career

France

Sylla was born in France but has Malian heritage, which meant that he was eligible to represent either France or Mali. He made one appearance for France's under-21 team on 24 March 2011, in a 3–2 friendly victory over Spain. Sylla was a late substitute for Antoine Griezmann and played the final few minutes of the game.

Mali

Following his move to Aston Villa and positive form towards the end to the 2012–13 season, Sylla was called up to represent Mali for the first time. He first played in an unofficial friendly against the national team of Brittany, France, a side not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA on 28 May 2013. Mali lost 1–0.[20][21]

Sylla's official, full international début for Mali came on 9 June 2012 in a 1–1 FIFA World Cup qualification draw with Rwanda. Sylla replaced Wolverhampton Wanderers player Tongo Doumbia in the 70th minute.[22] Sylla started and played the full 90 minutes in Mali's 2–2 draw with Benin seven days later, but Mali were unfortunately eliminated from the competition.

Personal life

Sylla is the older brother of the France youth international Moussa Sylla.[23]

Career statistics

Club

As of 8 December 2022[24][25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Clermont 2010–11 Ligue 2 2001000—210
2011–12 Ligue 2 2402010—270
2012–13 Ligue 2 2100020—230
Total 650303000710
Aston Villa 2012–13 Premier League 1100000—110
2013–14 Premier League 1101020—140
Total 220102000250
Kayseri Erciyesspor (loan) 2014–15 Süper Lig 27100——271
Rennes 2015–16 Ligue 1 2001020—230
Montpellier (loan) 2016–17 Ligue 1 1910010—201
Panathinaikos (loan) 2017–18 Super League Greece 9020——110
Mechelen 2017–18 Jupiler Pro League 90———90
2018–19 Proximus League 3010——40
Total 120100000130
Strømsgodset 2019 Eliteserien 10100——101
CFR Cluj 2019–20 Liga I 4000—1[lower-alpha 1]050
MC Oujda 2020–21 Botola 5000——50
Bastia 2021–22 Ligue 2 7010——80
Botoșani 2022–23 Liga I 15010——160
Virton 2022–23 Challenger Pro League 00———00
Career total 215310080102343

International

As of matches played on 5 September 2017[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Mali 201340
201460
2015120
201660
201770
Total350

Honours

CFR Cluj

References

  1. ↑ "Barclays Premier League Squad Numbers 2013/14". Premier League. 16 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Yacouba Sylla (Rennes) prêté à Montpellier (officiel)‚ 25 August 2016
  3. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla" (in French). SM Caen Jeunes. 28 July 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  4. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla Profile" (in French). Foot-National. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  5. ↑ "Le Mans v. Clermont Match Report" (in French). Ligue de Football Professionnel. 15 October 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  6. ↑ "La révélation Yacouba Sylla pisté par Stuttgart et l'Udinese" (in French). FootMercato. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  7. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla passe pro" (in French). Clermont Foot. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  8. ↑ "Y.Sylla passe pro" (in French). Mercato365. 22 November 2010. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  9. ↑ "Sylla thrilled to join "dynamic and exciting young team"". Aston Villa F.C. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla joins Turkish side Kayseri Erciyesspor on loan". BBC Sport. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla joined Stade Rennais FC". Stade Rennais FC. 22 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Στον Παναθηναϊκό κι επίσημα ο Σιλά". www.gazzetta.gr. 30 August 2017.
  13. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla joins YR KV Mechelen". KV Mechelen. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla joins Strømsgodset Toppfotball". Strømsgodset IF. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  15. ↑ Okeleji, Oluwashina (2 March 2019). "Yacouba Sylla: Mali captain moves to Norway". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  16. ↑ CFR a transferat un jucător care a evoluat la Aston Villa. Cât a plătit campioana și ce salariu va primi jucătorul. digisport.ro (in Romanian)
  17. ↑ "Le MCO s'offre les services d'un ancien d'Aston Villa". sport.le360.ma (in French). 27 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla rejoint le Sporting" [Yacouba Sylla joins the Sporting]. Spiritu-Turchinu (in French). 13 December 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bine ai venit, Yacouba Sylla!" (in Romanian). Botoșani. 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Big names back for Brittany ahead of Mali encounter". NonFIFAFootball.blogspot.co.uk. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  21. ↑ "It was Brittany 1–0 Mali in a very wet Carquefou..." Guy Pakeman (@guypakeman) via Twitter. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  22. ↑ "Mali 1–1 Rwanda". Yahoo! UK & Ireland / Eurosport. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  23. ↑ "AS MONACO : Moussa Sylla, le jeune frère de Yacouba Sylla signe son premier contrat pro avec le club de la principauté". 10 February 2017. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  24. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  25. ↑ "Yacouba Sylla". Soccerway. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  26. ↑ Yacouba Sylla at National-Football-Teams.com
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