Senegalese football cries one of its most elegant fields in the field. Saliou Cissé, nicknamed “Chita”, died last Friday, at the age of 80. Former captain of the Senegal national team, he was buried on Saturday in the Ouakam cemetery, his native district in Dakar, Senego learned.
Born on April 16, 1944, Chita marked her imprint in the years 1960-70, both with US Ouakam and ASC Almadies. This playmaker with a refined technique was renowned for his vision of the game, his precision on stopped kicks and above all, his famous cushioning of the chest, which has become his signature. His elegance ball on the foot and his tactical intelligence have earned him respect on all terrains, says the dean Mamadou Koumé in his book “Senegal, the saga of the national football team.
In a portrait published in 1969 in Dakar Matin, he was already described as an “outstanding passer”, master in the art of playing others. This ability to organize the game, to distribute with accuracy and to stimulate the pace of his team earned him the affectionate nickname of “metronome”.
Cissé accesses very young national light. In June 1964, then barely 20 years old, he raised the National Cup as Captain of US Ouakam after a victory (2-1) against the COT. He then shares the poster with big names like Oumar Gueye Samb and Mor Ndiaye Franky. His career took a decisive turn that same year, with a first national selection, on November 25, 1964, during a match against Dynamo Minsk.
He then participated in the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 1968 in Ethiopia and became an indisputable holder from 1969. On January 5 of that same year, in a qualifying match for the World Cup against Morocco, he scored the two goals of a historic victory (2-1). His international journey ended in 1971, after a success against Nigeria (2-1), during the eliminations of the Olympic Games.
At the local level, after the US Ouakam, he evolves at ASC Almadies, training born from the merger of the clubs of Ngor, Yoff and Ouakam. He notably competed there a national cup final lost against the Jaraaf (1-3) in 1970.
Beyond the grounds, Saliou Cissé also marked the spirits by his professional rigor. Teacher in his first life, he later became a commercial framework for Air Afrique, where he never stopped supporting athletes.
“He knew how to take care of athletes in his profession whenever it was necessary,” said journalist Mamadou Koumé in his Senegal book.
With the disappearance of Chita, Senegal loses a pioneer, an esthete of the round ball and an inspiring figure in national sport.
