Tony Sylva

Tony Mario Sylva (born 17 May 1975) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He spent the vast majority of his 16-year professional career in France, playing in 157 Ligue 1 games during eight seasons and representing in the competition Monaco and Lille.

Sylva appeared with Senegal in the 2002 World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. He is the current goalkeeping coach of Senegal, appointed by Aliou Cissé in 2015.

Club career Born in Guédiawaye, Sylva spent nearly a decade at the service of AS Monaco FC, but featured mainly for the reserve team during his spell, being successively backup to Fabien Barthez and Flavio Roma in the main squad. He made his debut in Division 1 on 12 September 1999 in a 1–2 away against Stade Rennais FC, contributing with six appearances as the club won the national championship; he also served loans at Gazélec Ajaccio, SAS Épinal and AC Ajaccio before leaving in 2004, the latter two sides competing in Ligue 2.

Sylva subsequently signed for Lille OSC on a free transfer, never appearing in fewer than 30 league games in his four years and helping his team to the second position in 2004–05. He retired in June 2010 at the age of 35, after two seasons in Turkey with Trabzonspor; although his contract with the former was due to expire in June 2009, according to Article 17 of FIFA's regulations for the status and transfer of players he was allowed to leave the club.

International career Sylva earned 83 caps for Senegal, during nine years. His debut came on 6 June 1999, in a 2–2 draw in Burkina Faso for the 2000 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Sylva's was his country's first-choice at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, helping Senegal reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance in the competition.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours Monaco Ligue 1: 1999–2000 Coupe de la Ligue: 2002–03 UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2003–04

Lille UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2004

Trabzonspor Turkish Cup: 2009–10

Senegal Africa Cup of Nations: runner-up 2002