For the player known as El Hadji Diouf currently playing for AEK Athens FC, please see El Hadji Diouf II.

El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf (Arabic: الحج ديوف) (born January 15 1981) is a Senegalese footballer. He plays for Bolton Wanderers and until October 2007, Senegal. Arguably Senegal's best player, Diouf is a skilfull playmaker who plays deep on the wing or as a deep lying forward.

Diouf started his career in France with Sochaux-Montbéliard. He made his first appearance in 2-1 win against Bastia on November 12 1998 before moving to Stade Rennais for the 1999–00 season. He moved to Lens the following season, spending two years at the Pas-de-Calais club before moving to English club Liverpool in 2002.

Liverpool bought Diouf from Lens for £10 million, prior to Senegal's impressive 2002 World Cup run. Diouf won the 2003 League Cup after Liverpool defeated Manchester United 2-0.

Diouf once was seen on camera spitting at a Celtic fan.

Diouf's international career started in April 2000 against Benin. He has earned 41 international caps and scored 16 goals for his country.

He played for Senegal in their 2002 Fifa World Cup campaign and was elected to the World Cup All-Star team, after leading Senegal to the quarterfinals and victories over France (1-0) and Sweden (2-1). Senegal eventually lost 1-0 in overtime to Turkey.

He was also part of the Senegal team which is the runner-up in 2002 African Nations Cup.

Diouf was banned from international football for four matches in 2004 for a verbal assault on referee Ali Bujsaim.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, he was named to the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé in conjunction with FIFA's centenary celebrations.

In October 2007, Diouf retired from international football, stating he had been frustrated by organisational problems with the side. ^[1]; However, Senegal coach Henri Kasperczak announced later in the month that he would name Diouf in the next squad ^[2].

Winner of FIFA's World Spitter of the Year award for 5 consecutive years, Diouf, is most famous for his 'spitball of anguish'. As a child, Diouf never dreamed of achieving such dizzying heights of a spitting star, but from the moment he could spit on his mother's face; so began the journey of a spitting legend.

Aside from being a 5 time spitter of the year, Diouf has also won several minor awards including the World's Biggest Doosh Trophy and is also the current record holder for most hated person in football. Asked about how he achieved such success, Diouf replied, "I just spit at anyone I see."

• El Hadji Diouf at Soccerbase
• Profile, stats and pictures of El-Hadji Diouf on Sitercl.Com

Preceded by Patrick Mboma

African Footballer of the Year 2001 – 2002

Succeeded by Samuel Eto'o