Salif Diao
| Date of birth | 10 February 1977 |
| Place of birth | Kedougou |
| Nationality | Senegalese |
| Weight | 73 kg |
| Height | 1.84 m |
| Position | Midfielder |
A young midfield player who developed with Epinal and Monaco, it was only when Diao joined Sedan in the 2000 close season that he began to establish himself as a regular in the first team.
He won his first cap in 1997 but did not return to the national squad until Bruno Metsu made him one of a large group of European-based players introduced to the Senegal squad at the start of the second round of the World Cup qualifiers.
He is the defensive midfield shield in front of the back four and was one of the teams outstanding performers at the African Nations' Cup Finals in Mali scoring the winning goal in the semi final against Nigeria.
With a fee already agreed with Sedan, Salif's first task after the 2002 World Cup finals was to agree personal terms with Liverpool.
Salif scored Senegal's equaliser in their draw with Denmark in Daegu but then was sent-off for a reckless tackle.
After a loan spell, he joined Stoke City in January 2007 with a contract to the end of the season.
He re-signed for the Potters in December 2007 with a contract to June 2009 that was extended to June 2010 in July 2009 and to June 2012 in August 2010.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS Epinal | 01 Dec 1996 | 01 Jul 1997 | |
| AS Monaco | 01 Jul 1997 | 01 Jul 2000 | |
| Sedan | 01 Jul 2000 | 09 Aug 2002 | |
| Liverpool | 09 Aug 2002 | 23 Jan 2007 | |
| Birmingham City | 18 Jan 2005 | 31 May 2005 | L |
| Portsmouth | 31 Aug 2005 | 31 May 2006 | L |
| Stoke City | 10 Oct 2006 | 14 Jan 2007 | L |
| Stoke City | 23 Jan 2007 | 30 Jun 2007 | |
| Stoke City | 10 Dec 2007 | 30 Jun 2012 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01 | Sedan | French Championnat | 16 | 10 |
7
|
||
| 2001-02 | Sedan | French Championnat | 22 |
8
|
1
|
||
| 2001-02 | Sedan | UEFA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2002-03 | Liverpool | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2002-03 | Liverpool | League Cup | 3 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2002-03 | Liverpool | Premier League | 13 | 13 |
1 |
3
|
1
|
| 2002-03 | Liverpool | UEFA Champions League | 3 | 2 |
1 |
||
| 2002-03 | Liverpool | UEFA Cup | 2 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2003-04 | Liverpool | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Liverpool | Premier League | 2 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2003-04 | Liverpool | UEFA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 2004-05 | Birmingham City | Premier League | 2 |
1
|
|||
| 2004-05 | Liverpool | League Cup | 3 | 1 |
2
|
||
| 2004-05 | Liverpool | Premier League | 4 | 4 |
1
|
||
| 2004-05 | Liverpool | UEFA Champions League | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 2005-06 | Portsmouth | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Portsmouth | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Portsmouth | Premier League | 7 | 4 |
3
|
||
| 2006-07 | Stoke City | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2006-07 | Stoke City | League Championship | 27 |
10
|
|||
| 2007-08 | Stoke City | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2007-08 | Stoke City | League Championship | 8 | 3 |
1
|
||
| 2008-09 | Stoke City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2008-09 | Stoke City | Premier League | 18 | 2 |
4
|
||
| 2009-10 | Stoke City | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 2009-10 | Stoke City | Premier League | 11 | 5 |
1 |
7
|
|
| 2010-11 | Stoke City | FA Cup | 2 |
2
|
|||
| 2010-11 | Stoke City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2010-11 | Stoke City | Premier League | 3 | 5 |
3
|
||
| 2011-12 | Stoke City | League Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2011-12 | Stoke City | Premier League | 2 | 4 |
1
|
||
| 2011-12 | Stoke City | UEFA Europa League | 6 | 1 |
2
|
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 2002 | Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
| 11 Sep 2002 | Liverpool v Birmingham City | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
| 14 Sep 2002 | Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool | W | 2-3 | Premier League | |
| 17 Sep 2002 | Valencia v Liverpool | L | 2-0 | UEFA Champions League | Group B |
| 21 Sep 2002 | Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 28 Sep 2002 | Manchester City v Liverpool | W | 0-3 | Premier League | |
| 02 Oct 2002 | Liverpool v Spartak Moskva | W | 5-0 | UEFA Champions League | Group B |
| 06 Oct 2002 | Liverpool v Chelsea | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 19 Oct 2002 | Leeds United v Liverpool | W | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 22 Oct 2002 | Spartak Moskva v Liverpool | W | 1-3 | UEFA Champions League | Group B |
| 26 Oct 2002 | Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 30 Oct 2002 | Liverpool v Valencia | L | 0-1 | UEFA Champions League | Group B |
| 02 Nov 2002 | Liverpool v West Ham United | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 06 Nov 2002 | Liverpool v Southampton | W | 3-1 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 09 Nov 2002 | Middlesbrough v Liverpool | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 12 Nov 2002 | FC Basel v Liverpool | D | 3-3 | UEFA Champions League | Group B |
| 17 Nov 2002 | Liverpool v Sunderland | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 23 Nov 2002 | Fulham v Liverpool | L | 3-2 | Premier League | |
| 28 Nov 2002 | Vitesse Arnhem v Liverpool | W | 0-1 | UEFA Cup | 3rd round 1st leg |
| 04 Dec 2002 | Liverpool v Ipswich Town | W | 1-1 (5-4) | League Cup | 4th round |
| 12 Dec 2002 | Liverpool v Vitesse Arnhem | W |
1-0 Agg: 2-0 |
UEFA Cup | 3rd round 2nd leg |
| 15 Dec 2002 | Sunderland v Liverpool | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Aston Villa v Liverpool | W | 3-4 | League Cup | 5th round |
| 22 Dec 2002 | Liverpool v Everton | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 29 Dec 2002 | Arsenal v Liverpool | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 01 Jan 2003 | Newcastle United v Liverpool | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 05 Jan 2003 | Manchester City v Liverpool | W | 0-1 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 08 Jan 2003 | Sheffield United v Liverpool | L | 2-1 | League Cup | Semi-final 1st leg |
| 11 Jan 2003 | Liverpool v Aston Villa | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 26 Jan 2003 | Crystal Palace v Liverpool | D | 0-0 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 29 Jan 2003 | Liverpool v Arsenal | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
| 08 Feb 2003 | Liverpool v Middlesbrough | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 20 Feb 2003 | Auxerre v Liverpool | W | 0-1 | UEFA Cup | 4th round 1st leg |
| 23 Feb 2003 | Birmingham City v Liverpool | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 08 Mar 2003 | Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 16 Mar 2003 | Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool | W | 2-3 | Premier League | |
| 23 Mar 2003 | Liverpool v Leeds United | W | 3-1 | Premier League | |
| 19 Apr 2003 | Everton v Liverpool | W | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 26 Apr 2003 | West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool | W | 0-6 | Premier League | |
| 11 May 2003 | Chelsea v Liverpool | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 24 Sep 2003 | Olimpija Ljubljana v Liverpool | D | 1-1 | UEFA Cup | 1st round 1st leg |
| 04 Oct 2003 | Liverpool v Arsenal | L | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 15 Oct 2003 | Liverpool v Olimpija Ljubljana | W |
3-0 Agg: 4-1 |
UEFA Cup | 1st round 2nd leg |
| 22 Nov 2003 | Middlesbrough v Liverpool | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 27 Nov 2003 | Liverpool v Steaua Bucuresti | W |
1-0 Agg: 2-1 |
UEFA Cup | 2nd round 2nd leg |
| 30 Nov 2003 | Liverpool v Birmingham City | W | 3-1 | Premier League | |
| 03 Dec 2003 | Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers | L | 2-3 | League Cup | 4th round |
| 10 Aug 2004 | Grazer AK v Liverpool | W | 0-2 | UEFA Champions League | 3rd qualifying round 1st leg |
| 21 Aug 2004 | Liverpool v Manchester City | W | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 24 Aug 2004 | Liverpool v Grazer AK | L |
0-1 Agg: 2-1 |
UEFA Champions League | 3rd qualifying round 2nd leg |
| 25 Sep 2004 | Liverpool v Norwich City | W | 3-0 | Premier League | |
| 28 Sep 2004 | Olympiakos v Liverpool | L | 1-0 | UEFA Champions League | Group A |
| 03 Oct 2004 | Chelsea v Liverpool | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 16 Oct 2004 | Fulham v Liverpool | W | 2-4 | Premier League | |
| 26 Oct 2004 | Millwall v Liverpool | W | 0-3 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 30 Oct 2004 | Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
| 10 Nov 2004 | Liverpool v Middlesbrough | W | 2-0 | League Cup | 4th round |
| 01 Dec 2004 | Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool | W | 1-1 (4-3) | League Cup | 5th round |
| 11 Dec 2004 | Everton v Liverpool | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 28 Dec 2004 | Liverpool v Southampton | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 03 Jan 2005 | Norwich City v Liverpool | W | 1-2 | Premier League | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | Senegal | Africa Cup of Nations | 1 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Senegal | Africa Cup of Nations | 1 | ||||
| 2000-01 | Senegal | FIFA World Cup | 4 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Senegal | Africa Cup of Nations | 5 | 1 |
2 |
||
| 2001-02 | Senegal | FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2001-02 | Senegal | International Friendly | 5 |
1
|
|||
| 2002-03 | Senegal | International Friendly | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 2002-03 | Senegal | Joola Disaster Charity Match | 1 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Senegal | Africa Cup of Nations | 4 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Senegal | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Senegal | FIFA World Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Senegal | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 2008-09 | Senegal | FIFA World Cup | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jun 1997 | Senegal v Ethiopia | W | 3-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Group 3 |
| 27 Jul 1997 | Morocco v Senegal | L | 3-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Group 3 |
| 24 Feb 2001 | Morocco v Senegal | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group C |
| 11 Mar 2001 | Senegal v Namibia | W | 4-0 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group C |
| 22 Apr 2001 | Senegal v Algeria | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group B |
| 06 May 2001 | Egypt v Senegal | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group C |
| 14 Jul 2001 | Senegal v Morocco | W | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group C |
| 04 Oct 2001 | Senegal v Japan | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 30 Dec 2001 | Senegal v Algeria | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 20 Jan 2002 | Egypt v Senegal | W | 0-1 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group D |
| 26 Jan 2002 | Senegal v Zambia | W | 1-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group D |
| 31 Jan 2002 | Senegal v Tunisia | D | 0-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group D |
| 04 Feb 2002 | Senegal v Congo DR | W | 2-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals quarter-final |
| 07 Feb 2002 | Nigeria v Senegal | W | 1-2 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals semi-final |
| 10 Feb 2002 | Cameroon v Senegal | L | 0-0 (2-3) | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals final |
| 27 Mar 2002 | Senegal v Bolivia | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 14 May 2002 | Saudi Arabia v Senegal | L | 3-2 | International Friendly | |
| 23 May 2002 | Ecuador v Senegal | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 31 May 2002 | France v Senegal | W | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Finals Group A |
| 06 Jun 2002 | Denmark v Senegal | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Finals Group A |
| 22 Jun 2002 | Turkey v Senegal | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Finals quarter-final |
| 12 Oct 2002 | Senegal v Nigeria | D | 2-2 | Joola Disaster Charity Match | |
| 12 Feb 2003 | Morocco v Senegal | L | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Tunisia v Senegal | L | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 31 May 2003 | Senegal v Cape Verde Islands | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 10 Sep 2003 | Japan v Senegal | W | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 17 Jan 2004 | Senegal v South Africa | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Jan 2004 | Burkina Faso v Senegal | D | 0-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group B |
| 30 Jan 2004 | Kenya v Senegal | W | 0-3 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group B |
| 02 Feb 2004 | Mali v Senegal | D | 1-1 | Africa Cup of Nations | Finals Group B |
| 07 Feb 2004 | Tunisia v Senegal | L | 1-0 | Africa Cup of Nations | Quarter-final |
| 05 Sep 2004 | Mali v Senegal | D | 2-2 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group 1 |
| 10 Oct 2004 | Liberia v Senegal | W | 0-3 | FIFA World Cup | Africa group 1 |
| 17 Nov 2004 | Algeria v Senegal | W | 1-2 | International Friendly | |
| 11 Oct 2008 | Senegal v Gambia | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Africa 1st round group 6 |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.