:Mohammed Sylla

{{for|people with similar names|Mohamed Sylla (disambiguation){{!}}Mohamed Sylla}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Momo Sylla

| image = Mohammed Sylla 2006.jpg

| upright =

| caption = Sylla with Guinea in 2006

| alt =

| full_name = Mohammed Sylla{{Hugman|25476|accessdate=12 March 2017}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|03|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bouaké, Ivory Coast

| height = 1.83 m{{Worldfootball.net|momo-sylla}}

| position = Winger

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1995–1996

| years2 = 1996–1999

| years3 = 1997–1998

| years4 = 1999–2000

| years5 = 2000–2001

| years6 = 2001–2005

| years7 = 2005–2007

| years8 = 2007

| clubs1 = Créteil

| clubs2 = Le Havre

| clubs3 = → Noisy-le-Sec (loan)

| clubs4 = Le Mans

| clubs5 = St Johnstone

| clubs6 = Celtic

| clubs7 = Leicester City

| clubs8 = Kilmarnock

| caps1 = 42

| caps2 = 66

| caps3 = 47

| caps4 = 36

| caps5 = 35

| caps6 = 47

| caps7 = 34

| caps8 = 11

| totalcaps = 318

| goals1 = 7

| goals2 = 11

| goals3 = 16

| goals4 = 14

| goals5 = 5

| goals6 = 3

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| totalgoals = 56

| nationalyears1 = 1999–2007

| nationalteam1 = Guinea

| nationalcaps1 = 56

| nationalgoals1 = 22

}}

Mohammed "Momo" Sylla (born 13 March 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger. Born in Ivory Coast, he played for the Guinea national team at international level.

Club career

Sylla started his football career at French Second Division club Créteil, on the outskirts of Paris, before moving on to Le Havre when he was 18.{{cite news |title=Sylla listens without prejudice |url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/sylla-listens-without-prejudice-2477766 |access-date=16 September 2021 |work=The Scotsman |date=20 October 2002}} He also played for Le Mans,[http://www.britishfantasyfootball.com/player-xcoJQio.shtml Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008225748/http://www.britishfantasyfootball.com/player-xcoJQio.shtml |date=8 October 2007 }} at britishantasyfootball.com[https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur2957.html Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518084805/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur2957.html |date=18 May 2011 }} at lequipe.fr before moving to Scotland to sign for St Johnstone, where he was considered to be a fan favourite.{{cite news | url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/273588571.html?dids=273588571:273588571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+31%2C+2002&author=&pub=Evening+Times&desc=Fans+cleared+of+Sylla+race+abuse+charge%3B+Celtic+star+Momo+asks+sheriff+to+free+pair&pqatl=google | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130624202400/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/smgpubs/access/273588571.html?dids=273588571:273588571&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+31,+2002&author=&pub=Evening+Times&desc=Fans+cleared+of+Sylla+race+abuse+charge;+Celtic+star+Momo+asks+sheriff+to+free+pair&pqatl=google | url-status = dead | archive-date = 24 June 2013 | title = Fans cleared of Sylla race abuse charge; Celtic star Momo asks sheriff to free pair | publisher = Evening Times | date = 31 December 2002 | accessdate = 21 June 2013}} Sylla was also considered to be quite an aggressive player during his time at St. Johnstone, as he picked up 16 yellow cards.

Celtic signed him for £650,000 in August 2001.{{cite news |title=Celtic sign trio on deadline day |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1464876.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=2 August 2001 |accessdate=15 April 2020}} Sylla played in a variety of different positions while at Celtic, but was never a first-team regular.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/4311983.stm | title = English duo are waiting on Sylla | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2 March 2005 | accessdate = 21 June 2013}} Celtic won the league twice during Sylla's time at the club in 2001–02 and 2003–04.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/1912027.stm |title=Five-star Celtic claim title |publisher=BBC |date=6 April 2002 |accessdate=15 April 2020}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/3630511.stm |title=Celtic win Scottish title |publisher=BBC |date=18 April 2004 |accessdate=15 April 2020}} Sylla contributed nine league appearances to the first of these titles and fourteen to the second.{{Soccerbase season|12398|2001|name=Momo Sylla |accessdate=15 April 2020}}{{Soccerbase season|12398|2003|name=Momo Sylla |accessdate=15 April 2020}}

Celtic released Sylla in 2005 and he then signed for Leicester City at the beginning of the 2005–06 season.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/4599161.stm |title=Sylla makes switch to Leicester |publisher=BBC |date=1 June 2005 |accessdate=15 April 2020}} He then had a short stint with Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock in early 2007{{cite news

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kilmarnock/6253599.stm |title=Kilmarnock sign Leicester's Sylla |publisher=BBC |date=11 January 2007 |accessdate=15 April 2020}} and a trial with Nottingham Forest,{{cite web |title=Forest look at Sylla |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11065/2835044/forest-look-at-sylla |website=Sky Sports |access-date=1 June 2023 |date=30 October 2007}} before retiring.

International career

Born in the Ivory Coast, Sylla played for the Guinea national team internationally making 56 appearances between 1999 and 2007.{{NFT|2805|accessdate=25 April 2016}}

Personal life

Sylla is the youngest of six children. He has two brothers and three sisters. From age 10, he was brought up by his sisters in Paris, as his mother, Massiami Bamba, and father believed that opportunities would be better for him than they were in Africa.

He is one of at least two Guinean football players commonly known as Mohammed Sylla. Another, Mohamed Lamine Sylla, played with Willem II, Martigues and Ayr United, amongst others.[http://www.brone.u-net.com/aufc/reports2.html Ayr United Match reports 1997-98] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819080123/http://www.brone.u-net.com/aufc/reports2.html |date=19 August 2007 }}, Hand of David Ayr United Fans Site. The overlapping nature of the two players' careers has led to a degree of media confusion regarding the details of their transfers.