Pape Matar Sarr (French pronunciation: [pap matɑʁ sɑʁ]; born 14 September 2002) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Senegal national team.

Pape Matar Sarr
Sarr with Metz in 2021
Personal information
Full name Pape Matar Sarr[1]
Date of birth (2002-09-14) 14 September 2002 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth Thiaroye, Senegal
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Tottenham Hotspur
Number 29
Youth career
Génération Foot
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Metz 22 (3)
2021– Tottenham Hotspur 61 (4)
2021–2022Metz (loan) 33 (1)
International career
2019 Senegal U17 6 (3)
2021– Senegal 29 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Senegal
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2021 Cameroon
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:01, 15 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:14, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Club career

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Pape Matar Sarr made his professional debut with Génération Foot in his native country of Senegal, before signing a five-year contract with Ligue 1 side Metz on 15 September 2020.[3]

Sarr was initially sent to play for Metz's second team in Championnat National 2, but made only one appearance before he was recalled to the first team squad following the season being halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France.[4] He made his debut for the Metz first team on 29 November 2020 in a Ligue 1 game against Brest.[5] On 31 January 2021, Sarr scored his first goal in Ligue 1 in the reverse fixture, a 4–2 away victory over Brest.[6]

On 27 August 2021, Sarr signed for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He was loaned back to Metz until the end of the 2021–22 season.[7] On 1 January 2023, Sarr finally made his long awaited Premier League debut coming on as an 80th minute substitute for Yves Bissouma in a 2–0 home loss to Aston Villa.[8] Since his first appearance against Aston Villa, Sarr has featured regularly for Spurs, either coming off the bench or starting. He got his first goal contribution, an assist on 28 May 2023, in the last game of the season, a 4–1 away win at Leeds United. On 19 August 2023, Sarr scored his first goal for Tottenham Hotspur on their first home game of the 2023–24 Premier League season, a 2–0 win against Manchester United.[9]

On 2 January 2024, after a run of impressive performances, Sarr extended his contract with Tottenham until 2030.[10]

International career

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Sarr made his debut for Senegal national team on 26 March 2021 in an AFCON 2021 qualifier against Congo.[11] On 6 February 2022, he won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.[12] He made one appearance at the tournament, appearing as a substitute in the 3–1 semi-final win over Burkina Faso.[13][14]

He was appointed a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion by President of Senegal, Macky Sall following the nation's victory at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[15] On 21 July, he was named CAF's Male Young Player of the Year at the 2022 CAF Awards.[16]

Sarr was included in Senegal's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he appeared as a substitute in the team's 3–1 group stage win over Qatar[17] and 3–0 round of 16 loss to England.[18]

On 18 November 2023, he scored his first senior international goal in a 4–0 win over South Sudan in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.[19]

In December 2023, Sarr was named in Senegal's squad for the postponed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in the Ivory Coast.[20]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 19 December 2024[21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Metz II 2020–21 Championnat National 2 1 0 1 0
Metz 2020–21 Ligue 1 22 3 3 1 25 4
Tottenham Hotspur 2021–22 Premier League 0 0
2022–23 Premier League 11 0 2 0 0 0 1[c] 0 14 0
2023–24 Premier League 34 3 0 0 1 0 35 3
2024–25 Premier League 16 1 0 0 3 1 6[d] 2 25 4
Total 61 4 2 0 4 1 7 2 74 7
Metz (loan) 2021–22 Ligue 1 33 1 1 0 34 1
Career total 117 8 6 1 4 1 7 2 134 12
  1. ^ Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

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As of match played 19 November 2024[22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Senegal 2021 4 0
2022 8 0
2023 6 1
2024 11 0
Total 29 1
Scores and results list Senegal's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sarr goal.[22]
List of international goals scored by Pape Matar Sarr
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 18 November 2023 Diamniadio Olympic Stadium, Diamniadio, Senegal   South Sudan 1–0 4–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

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Senegal

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Pepe Matar Sarr". Premier League. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Official | Metz sign Pape Matar Sarr from Génération Foot | Get French Football News". www.getfootballnewsfrance.com. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  4. ^ Bouchacourt, Jérome (23 April 2021). "La FFF a décidé d'arrêter les championnats de National 2 et D2 Féminine". Foot Amateur (in French). Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  5. ^ Secret, Bryan (29 November 2020). "Résultat et résumé Metz - Brest, Ligue 1 Uber Eats, 12e journée". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. ^ "BREST 2-4 METZ". Ligue1. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Pape Matar Sarr signs from Metz". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  8. ^ Sang, Kiplagat (1 January 2023). "Pape Matar Sarr: Senegal wonderkid makes Tottenham Hotspur debut after 18 months". goal.com. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Tottenham fans love what Pape Matar Sarr did after scoring in win over Manchester United". talkSPORT. 19 August 2023.
  10. ^ "New deal for Pape". Tottenham Hotspur. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Congo v Senegal game report". ESPN. 26 March 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Africa Cup Of Nations: Senegal Beat Egypt To Win Final (AFCON)". Sports Illustrated. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Internationals – Pape helps Senegal reach AFCON final". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 2 February 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  14. ^ "AFCON glory for Pape". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 6 February 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Cash prizes, real estate, and highest honours as Senegal celebrates Nations Cup heroes". Reuters. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Sarr named CAF Young Player of the Year". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Qatar 1–3 Senegal: World Cup 2022 – as it happened". The Guardian. 26 November 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  18. ^ "England 3–0 Senegal: World Cup 2022, last 16 – as it happened". The Guardian. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Sarr scores first-ever goal for Senegal... in double-quick time!". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 18 November 2023.
  20. ^ "Afcon 2023: Senegal and Sadio Mane set for defence of title". BBC Sport Africa. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  21. ^ "P. Sarr". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Pape Matar Sarr". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Mane, Oshoala walk away with CAF Men's and Women's Players of the Year top prize at CAF Awards". CAF Online. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
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