Ousmane Sylla (born 7 August 2001) is a Senegalese footballer. He played college soccer for the Clemson Tigers, winning the 2023 Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate men's player that season.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 7, 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Dakar, Senegal | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Clemson Tigers | 71 | (24) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024 | Houston Dynamo | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Houston Dynamo 2 (loan) | 24 | (7) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 October 2024 | |||
Early life
editSylla was born in Dakar, Senegal.[1] He eventually moved to the United States, where he attended Montverde Academy and played for their SIMA soccer program.[2]
College career
editIn 2020, he committed to attend Clemson University to play for the men's soccer team,[3] however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he began attending in January 2021.[4] He made his collegiate debut on 7 March 2021, starting against the Syracuse Orange.[5] On 13 March 2021, he scored his first collegiate goal, netting the overtime winner in a 1–0 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies,[6] which earned him NCAA Division I men's Player of the Week honors.[7] At the end of his first season, he was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team.[8] After his sophomore season, he was named to the All-ACC Second Team and the All-South Region Second Team.[9][10] On 26 August 2022, he scored a brace in a 3–2 victory in the season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers,[11] which earned him ACC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.[12] Sylla received first-team All-ACC and second-team All-South Region honors for the season,[13][14] and was invited to participate in the MLS College Showcase.[15]
Ahead of his senior season, Sylla was named to the ACC Preseason Watch List.[16] On 29 September 2023, he scored a winning goal with four seconds remaining in the match to lead Clemson to a 3–2 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies,[17] subsequently being named to the National Team of the Week,[18] an honour he received another four times that season.[19] The following week, he was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week.[20] He helped the team win the national title, being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive Player and being selected to the All-Tournament Team.[21] At the end of the season, he was named a first-team All-American and won the 2023 Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate player.[19][22]
Club career
editAt the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Sylla was selected in the second round (55th overall) by Houston Dynamo FC. In February 2024, he signed a professional contract with the club for the 2024 season, with options through 2027.[23] He made his professional debut on March 13, 2024, for the Dynamo in a 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup match against the Columbus Crew.[24] On 7 November 2024, his contract option was declined by Houston following their 2024 season.[25]
Career statistics
edit- As of May 8, 2024[26]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Houston Dynamo FC | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Houston Dynamo 2 | 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||
Honours
editClemson University
References
edit- ^ Holley, Steve (5 January 2024). "Clemson's Ousmane Sylla Earns NCAA Soccer's Highest Honor". USA Today.
- ^ "SIMA Alum Ousmane Sylla '20 Wins MAC Hermann Trophy". Montverde Academy. 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Men's soccer adds three to 2020 recruiting class". Clemson Tigers. 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Ousmane Sylla Clemson profile". Clemson Tigers.
- ^ "Johnson's brace, Reid's first career goal lead no. 1 Clemson to victory". Clemson Tigers. 7 March 2021.
- ^ "Sylla's overtime goal secures 1-0 victory for no. 1 Clemson". Clemson Tigers. 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Clemson remains atop national rankings, Sylla named player of the week". Clemson Tigers. 16 March 2021.
- ^ "Nine Tigers garner ACC men's soccer recognition Wednesday". Clemson Tigers. 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Five Tigers garner All-ACC honors". Clemson Tigers. 10 November 2021.
- ^ "Four Tigers named to All-South Region team". Clemson Tigers. 21 December 2021.
- ^ "Sylla's brace lifts no. 1 Tigers over no. 13 Indiana on opening night". Clemson Tigers. 26 August 2022.
- ^ "Sylla collects player of the week honors". Clemson Tigers. 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Four Tigers garner conference honors". Clemson Tigers. 9 November 2022.
- ^ "Diop and Sylla earn All-South Region nods". Clemson Tigers. 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Diop, Reid and Sylla to participate in MLS College Showcase". Clemson Tigers. 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sylla named to ACC preseason watch list; Clemson tabbed as ACC favorite". Clemson Tigers. 16 August 2023.
- ^ "Sylla's last-second goal propels Tigers to victory". Clemson Tigers. 29 September 2023.
- ^ "Sylla named to the College Soccer News men's national team of the week". Clemson Tigers. 3 October 2023.
- ^ a b "Ousmane Sylla: A year to remember". Clemson Tigers. 2 January 2024.
- ^ "Ousmane Sylla named ACC Offensive Player of the Week". Clemson Tigers. 10 October 2023.
- ^ "Clemson United wins fourth national championship". Clemson Tigers. 11 December 2023.
- ^ Keepfer, Scott (5 January 2024). "Clemson's Ousmane Sylla wins Hermann Trophy as college soccer player of the year". The Greenville News.
- ^ "Houston Dynamo FC sign MF Ousmane Sylla to professional contract". Houston Dynamo FC. 24 February 2024.
- ^ "Three Clemson United Alums Make Professional Debuts". Clemson Tigers. 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Houston Dynamo FC announce roster decisions following the 2024 season". Houston Dynamo FC.
- ^ Ousmane Sylla at Soccerway
External links
edit- Ousmane Sylla at Soccerway