# Moussa Sow
**Moussa Sow** (born 1986 in Mantes-la-Jolie, France) is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a center-forward. He was the top scorer of [Ligue 1](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-1) in 2010-11 with 25 goals for Lille, won the French league and cup double that season, and later won the Turkish championship with Fenerbahçe in 2014.[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) • [2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986, Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines), France; Senegalese international[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) |
| Position and profile | Centre-forward, 1.80 m, right-footed[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) • [3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/moussa-sow/profil/spieler/22382) |
| 2010-11 season | Ligue 1 top scorer with 25 goals in 36 matches (0.69 per match) for Lille[4](https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/ligue-1/saison-2010-2011/page-classement-individuel/buteurs) |
| Major titles | Ligue 1 and Coupe de France 2011 (Lille); Süper Lig 2014, Turkish Cup 2012 and 2013, Turkish Super Cup 2014/15 (Fenerbahçe); UAE Pro League 2015/16 (Al-Ahli)[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187) • [5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/26332/moussa-sow) |
| Senegal career | 50 caps, 19 goals, 2009 to 2018; 2018 FIFA World Cup squad[3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/moussa-sow/profil/spieler/22382) • [6](https://www.tff.org/Resources/TFF/Auto/c09d754a33074fd5ac627282b1f062b3.PDF) |
| Transfer to Fenerbahçe | January 2012, reported at 10 million euros on a 4.5-year contract[7](https://biyografis.com/biyografi/moussa-sow) |
| Retirement | Ended his playing career in 2021[8](https://www.mackolik.com/index.php/futbol/haber/moussa-sow/fe133417-19dc-4677-8e1f-48d2f406476c) |
## Youth and early career
Sow came through French football, beginning at FC Mantois 78 from 1996 to 2002 and [Amiens SC](https://www.edgepedia.org/amiens-sc) in 2002-03 before joining Stade Rennais FC in 2003.[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) He appeared in Rennes's Ligue 1 side from 2006-07, spent the 2007-08 season on loan at CS Sedan Ardennes in [Ligue 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/ligue-2), where he scored 6 league goals in 30 matches plus 4 in the [Coupe de France](https://www.edgepedia.org/coupe-de-france), and then returned to Rennes for two seasons.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187)
Before committing to Senegal, Sow played for French youth national teams, including two matches for the France Espoirs (under-21) side in friendly matches in March 2007, against Denmark and Norway.[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) He was also part of the France squad that won the 2005 [UEFA European Under-19 Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-european-under-19-championship).[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html)
## Lille and the 2010-11 double
Sow joined LOSC Lille in July 2010, and the 2010-11 season became the peak of his career. He scored 25 goals in 36 Ligue 1 matches, finishing first in the scoring charts ahead of Kevin Gameiro of Lorient (22 goals) and Lisandro López of Lyon (17).[4](https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/ligue-1/saison-2010-2011/page-classement-individuel/buteurs) Lille won the championship with 76 points from 38 matches, and Sow was the club's top scorer.[9](https://fbref.com/en/comps/13/2010-2011/2010-2011-Ligue-1-Stats) The same season Lille won the Coupe de France, completing a league and cup double, and Sow also added 3 goals in 6 Champions League appearances that year.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187)
A measure of his efficiency that season: he was decisive (goal or assist) every 97 minutes, second only to Lisandro López among the league's most productive players, with 25 goals and 4 assists in 2,813 minutes.[10](https://www.footmercato.net/a3116828033208681523-le-top-10-des-joueurs-les-plus-efficaces-de-l1-en-2010-2011)
## Fenerbahçe
During the January 2012 transfer window, reports linked Sow with several clubs, and Fenerbahçe announced an agreement with the striker for a reported 10 million euros on a 4.5-year contract; Lille's president Michel Seydoux confirmed the deal with the Turkish club.[7](https://biyografis.com/biyografi/moussa-sow) He scored 8 goals in the remainder of that first half-season, then 19 goals the following season, 15 of them in the league.[8](https://www.mackolik.com/index.php/futbol/haber/moussa-sow/fe133417-19dc-4677-8e1f-48d2f406476c)
His trophy haul in Istanbul included the Turkish Cup in 2012 and 2013, the [Süper Lig](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-lig) title in 2014, and the Turkish Super Cup in 2014-15.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187) • [5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/26332/moussa-sow) In 2012-13 he scored 18 goals in 45 matches across all competitions, and in 2014-15 he scored 16 goals in 39 matches.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187) One of his goals, an overhead bicycle kick against [Feyenoord](https://www.edgepedia.org/feyenoord), became the signature moment fans associate with him, and he later discussed it in an interview.[8](https://www.mackolik.com/index.php/futbol/haber/moussa-sow/fe133417-19dc-4677-8e1f-48d2f406476c)
## Later career and retirement
In September 2015 Sow moved to Al-Ahli Club in Dubai, where he won the [UAE Pro League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uae-pro-league) in 2015-16, scoring 13 league goals in 24 matches and 16 goals in 30 matches in all competitions that season.[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) • [5](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/26332/moussa-sow) • [2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187) He returned to Fenerbahçe on loan for 2016-17, adding 14 league goals in 25 matches.[2](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187)
His final years were spent with Turkish clubs: [Bursaspor](https://www.edgepedia.org/bursaspor) in early 2018, Gaziantep SK in 2019, and Ümraniyespor from August 2020 to June 2021, after which he retired.[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) • [8](https://www.mackolik.com/index.php/futbol/haber/moussa-sow/fe133417-19dc-4677-8e1f-48d2f406476c)
## Senegal
Having played for French youth selections, Sow switched to the Senegal national team, making his debut on 12 August 2009 against the [Democratic Republic of the Congo](https://www.edgepedia.org/democratic-republic-of-the-congo).[1](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html) Over an international career running from 2009 to 2018 he earned 50 caps and scored 19 goals.[3](https://www.transfermarkt.us/moussa-sow/profil/spieler/22382) He was named in Senegal's squad for the 2015 [Africa Cup of Nations](https://www.edgepedia.org/africa-cup-of-nations) in [Equatorial Guinea](https://www.edgepedia.org/equatorial-guinea), wearing number 7 and listed with Fenerbahçe.[11](https://www.cafonline.com/media/llpieh3j/senegal.pdf) He was also in the Senegal squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, again wearing number 7 as a forward and listed with Bursaspor.[6](https://www.tff.org/Resources/TFF/Auto/c09d754a33074fd5ac627282b1f062b3.PDF)
## References
1. [Moussa SOW, Fédération Française de Football](https://www.fff.fr/equipe-nationale/joueur/9973-sow-moussa/fiche.html)
2. [Moussa Sow, joueur de football, L'Équipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/fiche/moussa-sow/226187)
3. [Moussa Sow, Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/moussa-sow/profil/spieler/22382)
4. [Classement des buteurs Ligue 1 2010-2011, L'Équipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/ligue-1/saison-2010-2011/page-classement-individuel/buteurs)
5. [Moussa Sow, stats and career, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/26332/moussa-sow)
6. [FIFA World Cup Russia 2018, Senegal squad list, Turkish Football Federation](https://www.tff.org/Resources/TFF/Auto/c09d754a33074fd5ac627282b1f062b3.PDF)
7. [Moussa Sow Biyografisi, Biyografis](https://biyografis.com/biyografi/moussa-sow)
8. [Moussa Sow, Feyenoord'a attığı röveşata golünü anlattı, Mackolik](https://www.mackolik.com/index.php/futbol/haber/moussa-sow/fe133417-19dc-4677-8e1f-48d2f406476c)
9. [2010-2011 Ligue 1 Stats, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/comps/13/2010-2011/2010-2011-Ligue-1-Stats)
10. [Le top 10 des joueurs les plus efficaces de L1 en 2010/2011, Foot Mercato](https://www.footmercato.net/a3116828033208681523-le-top-10-des-joueurs-les-plus-efficaces-de-l1-en-2010-2011)
11. [Senegal squad, Africa Cup of Nations Equatorial Guinea 2015, CAF](https://www.cafonline.com/media/llpieh3j/senegal.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of Africa › West African footballers › Footballers of Senegal, Mali, and Guinea*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license