Sekou Gassama

Sékou Gassama (born 6 May 1995) is a footballer who plays as a forward for USM Alger. Born in Spain, he represented Senegal at under-20 international level.

Sekou Gassama

Personal information
Full name	Sékou Gassama
Birth name	Sekou Gassama Cissokho
Date of birth	(1995-05-06) 6 May 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Granollers, Spain
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	USM Alger
Number	17
Youth career
2003–2004	Atlético Vallés
2004–2007	Barcelona
2007–2010	Atlético Vallés
2010–2013	Damm
2013–2014	Almería
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2014	Almería B	2	(0)
2014–2015	Valladolid B	7	(2)
2015	Rayo Vallecano B	4	(0)
2015–2016	Bergantiños	6	(1)
2016	Badalona	16	(2)
2016–2017	Sant Andreu	33	(12)
2017–2018	Almería B	23	(15)
2018–2020	Almería	25	(6)
2019	→ Valencia B (loan)	8	(3)
2020–2023	Valladolid	1	(0)
2020	→ Fuenlabrada (loan)	9	(3)
2020–2021	→ Fuenlabrada (loan)	9	(5)
2021–2022	→ Málaga (loan)	9	(1)
2022–2023	→ Racing Santander (loan)	16	(1)
2023–2024	Anorthosis Famagusta	26	(9)
2024–	USM Alger	4	(1)
International career
	Senegal U20
Medal record Men's football Representing  Senegal African U-20 Championship 2015 Senegal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 April 2024

Club career

Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Gassama started his career at FC Barcelona's youth setup, as a central defender.^[1] He finished his formation with UD Almería,^[2] and made his senior debut with the reserves on 13 October 2013, coming on as a half-time substitute in a 0–3 Segunda División B home loss against La Roda CF.

On 14 July 2014, Gassama signed a three-year contract with Real Valladolid, being assigned to the B-team also in the third division.^[3] The following 26 January he terminated his contract and joined another reserve team, Rayo Vallecano B in the same category.^[4]

Gassama continued to appear in the third and fourth tiers in the following years, representing Bergantiños CF,^[5] CF Badalona,^[6] UE Sant Andreu^[7] and Almería B.^[8] With the latter he achieved promotion to the third division by netting a career-best 21 goals, six only in the play-offs.

Gassama was definitely promoted to Almería's main squad in Segunda División ahead of the 2018–19 campaign,^[9] and made his professional debut on 17 August, starting in a 0–1 away loss against Cádiz CF.^[10] His first professional goal came on 11 September, as he scored the equalizer in a 2–1 away defeat of Málaga CF for the season's Copa del Rey.^[11]

On 1 November 2018, Gassama scored a late brace in a 3–3 home draw against Villarreal CF also for the national cup. The following 31 January, he moved to third division side Valencia CF Mestalla on loan until June.^[12]

Gassama returned to the Rojiblancos for the 2019–20 season, being a first-choice under Pedro Emanuel and scoring a brace in his first match of the campaign, a 3–0 home defeat of Albacete Balompié.^[13] However, he lost space after the arrival of Darwin Núñez and Juan Muñoz, being demoted to a backup option by new manager Guti.

On 28 January 2020, Gassama signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with La Liga side Real Valladolid, being immediately loaned to CF Fuenlabrada until June.^[14] On 1 October, he was again loaned to Fuenla for the 2020–21 campaign,^[15] but spent most of the season nursing foot and knee injuries.^[16]

On 28 August 2021, Gassama moved to fellow second division side Málaga CF on loan for the 2021–22 season.^[17] Roughly one year later, he moved to Racing de Santander in the same category, also on a one-year loan deal.^[18]

On 1 July 2023, Gassama terminated his contract with Valladolid.^[19] Following his departure, he joined Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis Famagusta on a two-year deal.^[20]

Personal life

Gassama's siblings Mamadou and Kaba are handball players.^[21]

References

1. "Sekou, el nuevo descubrimiento almeriense para el gol" [Sekou, the new discovering almeriense for the goal] (in Spanish). Cuenta con la Cantera. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
2. "Sekou, senegalés de la Damm, llega a Almería" [Sekou, Senegalese from Damm, arrives at Almería] (in Spanish). Vavel. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
3. "Sekou Gassama potencia la delantera del filial" [Sekou Gassama bolsters the forward lines of the reserves] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
4. "Sekou Gassama se desvincula del Promesas" [Sekou Gassama leaves Promesas] (in Spanish). Blanquivioletas. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
5. "Sekou Gassama Cissokho, nuevo fichaje del Bergantiños" [Sekou Gassama Cissokho, new signing of Bergantiños] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
6. "Sekou Gassama, nou davanter escapulat" [Sekou Gassama, new forward escapulat] (in Catalan). CF Badalona. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
7. "Sekou Gassama es suma a la davantera" [Sekou Gassama adds up to the forward lines] (in Catalan). UE Sant Andreu. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
8. "El gigante Sekou ha vuelto al Almería B" [The giant Sekou returned to Almería B] (in Spanish). La Voz de Almería. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
9. "Chema y Sekou, dispuestos a aprovechar la oportunidad que estaban buscando" [Chema and Sekou, willing to exploit the opportunity they have been looking for] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
10. "Álex Fernández da la primera victoria de la temporada al Cádiz" [Alex Fernández gives the first victory of the season to Cádiz] (in Spanish). Marca. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
11. "El Almería remonta al Málaga y pasa a la siguiente ronda" [Almería complete comeback over Málaga and go to the following round] (in Spanish). Marca. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
12. "Sekou se marcha cedido al Valencia Mestalla hasta el final de temporada" [Sekou moves out on loan at Valencia Mestalla until the end of the season] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
13. "El VAR dictó sentencia y el Almería no lo desperdició" [VAR sentenced it and Almería took advantage of it] (in Spanish). Marca. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
14. "Sekou Gassama 2024" (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
15. "Sekou, al Fuenlabrada" [Sekou, to Fuenlabrada] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
16. "La mala suerte se ceba con Sekou: otra vez fuera por lesión" [Bad luck plays with Sekou: again out due to an injury] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
17. "Sekou, cedido al Málaga CF" [Sekou, loaned to Málaga CF] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
18. "Sekou, cedido al Real Racing" [Sekou, loaned to Real Racing] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
19. "Sekou y Paulo Vitor no continúan" [Sekou and Paulo Vitor will not continue] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
20. "Sekou Gassama is part of it!". anorthosisfc.com.cy (in Cypriot Greek). 12 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
21. "Sekou Gassama ens explica per què es va decantar per al futbol" [Sekou Gassama explains why he was delighted by football] (in Catalan). Betevé. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2019.

External links

• Sekou Gassama at BDFutbol
• Sekou Gassama at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
• Sekou Gassama at Soccerway