Salif Diao

Salif Diao

Diao playing for Stoke City in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Salif Alassane Diao
Date of birth	(1977-02-10) 10 February 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth	Kédougou, Senegal
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Monaco	27	(0)
1996–1997	→ SAS Épinal (loan)	2	(0)
2000–2002	Sedan	49	(0)
2002–2007	Liverpool	37	(1)
2005	→ Birmingham City (loan)	2	(0)
2005–2006	→ Portsmouth (loan)	11	(0)
2006–2007	→ Stoke City (loan)	16	(0)
2007–2012	Stoke City	72	(1)
Total		216	(2)
International career
2000–2009	Senegal	39	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Salif Alassane Diao (born 10 February 1977) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Diao moved from Senegal to France when he was seventeen and started his career at Monaco with whom he helped with the Trophée des Champions and Division 1. He failed to hold down a regular place at Monaco and moved to Sedan in 2000. Diao then had an impressive 2002 World Cup with Senegal which attracted the attention of several Premier League sides. It was Liverpool who won the race and signed Diao for £5 million in 2002.

His time at Liverpool was unsuccessful and he was sent out on loan to Birmingham City, Portsmouth and Stoke City. He joined the latter Stoke permanently on a free transfer in 2007 and helped the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2008.