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 + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMonaco1997–98Division 1000000——001998–99Division 1000000——001999–2000Division 160100030—1002001–02Division 1200000——202002–03Ligue 11201010——1402003–04Ligue 140101010—70Total240302040—330Gazélec (loan)1995–96National330————3713Épinal (loan)1996–97Division 21000010——110Ajaccio (loan)2000–01Division 23101000——320Lille2004–05Ligue 13801000150—4402005–06Ligue 1320000090—4102006–07Ligue 1330000080—4102007–08Ligue 13001000——310Total13302000320—1670Trabzonspor2008–09Süper Lig27030———3002009–10Süper Lig12000—20—140Total39030—20—440Career total27009030380003200
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSenegal199920200170200216020039020041402005802006802007802008110Total830
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
References
External links