| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 7, 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Dakar, Senegal | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orange County SC | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Clemson Tigers | 71 | (24) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024 | Houston Dynamo | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Houston Dynamo 2 (loan) | 24 | (7) |
| 2025– | Orange County SC | 0 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 January 2025 | |||
Ousmane Sylla (born 7 August 2001) is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL Championship club Orange County SC.
Sylla was born in Dakar, Senegal. [1] He eventually moved to the United States, where he attended Montverde Academy and played for their SIMA soccer program. [2]
In 2020, he committed to attend Clemson University to play for the men's soccer team, [3] however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he began attending in January 2021. [4] He made his collegiate debut on 7 March 2021, starting against the Syracuse Orange. [5] On 13 March 2021, he scored his first collegiate goal, netting the overtime winner in a 1–0 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies, [6] which earned him NCAA Division I men's Player of the Week honors. [7] At the end of his first season, he was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team. [8] After his sophomore season, he was named to the All-ACC Second Team and the All-South Region Second Team. [9] [10] On 26 August 2022, he scored a brace in a 3–2 victory in the season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers, [11] which earned him ACC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. [12] Sylla received first-team All-ACC and second-team All-South Region honors for the season, [13] [14] and was invited to participate in the MLS College Showcase. [15]
Ahead of his senior season, Sylla was named to the ACC Preseason Watch List. [16] On 29 September 2023, he scored a winning goal with four seconds remaining in the match to lead Clemson to a 3–2 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies, [17] subsequently being named to the National Team of the Week, [18] an honour he received another four times that season. [19] The following week, he was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week. [20] He helped the team win the national title, being named the tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive Player and being selected to the All-Tournament Team. [21] At the end of the season, he was named a first-team All-American and won the 2023 Hermann Trophy as the top collegiate player. [19] [22]
At the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, Sylla was selected in the second round (55th overall) by Houston Dynamo FC. In February 2024, he signed a professional contract with the club for the 2024 season, with options through 2027. [23] He made his professional debut on March 13, 2024, for the Dynamo in a 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup match against the Columbus Crew. [24] On 7 November 2024, his contract option was declined by Houston following their 2024 season. [25]
On 21 January 2025, USL Championship club Orange County SC announced the signing of Sylla. [26]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Houston Dynamo 2 | 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 7 | ||
| Houston Dynamo | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Orange County SC | 2025 | USL Championship | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 7 | ||
Clemson University