‘I nearly lost my leg playing for Liverpool before starting new career as a DJ’
Djibril Cisse’s career at Liverpool was a rollercoaster filled with major highs and the most horrific of lows during his injury hell but the former France international is loving his new career as a DJ.
The Frenchman can boast an FA Cup winners medal from his spell at Liverpool as well as playing his part in the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005 when the Reds lifted the Champions League after the famous comeback against AC Milan.
But Cisse has proved his creativity reaches beyond the pitch as he took up his passion for music as he prepared to call time on his career, announcing his new path in 2017 before briefly coming out of retirement the following year. Speaking to Yahoo Sport at the time, he explained: "I loved being a footballer, and so far the ball has been my life. I would have liked to continue playing but I must admit today that football is over.
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"With the same passion, I will devote myself wholeheartedly to my career as DJ, producer and consultant, as well as developing my clothing brand. Thank you for all your support. The adventure continues, another life begins. A lion never dies."
Cisse’s music, under his artist name ‘Tcheba’, has featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra and found success with a 2020 hit titled ‘Kiti’, in collaboration with DJ Peet, which at the time of writing has been played over 3million times on music streaming platform Spotify, with Cisse receiving 19.7k average monthly listeners. His most recent single ‘Most Wanted’ has almost 100k plays on the platform.
Arriving at Anfield in the summer of 2004 for a reported fee of £14million from Ligue 1 club Auxerre as a pacy striker with high expectations, Cisse’s short stint on Merseyside was majorly hampered by a career-threatening leg break.
During a Premier League clash away at Blackburn Rovers in 2004, Cisse suffered a double leg fracture in a bizarre incident when his boot got caught in the turf. The Frenchman’s injury was so horrific that he could have been forced to have his foot amputated had it not been for the quick-thinking of medical staff.
Cisse previously recalled the terrifying moment to talkSPORT, saying: "I had a fracture and the bone snapped and came on top of the other. My blood circulation was not working and reaching my foot. The doctor said to me ‘I’m going to have to reduce the fracture’. I didn’t know what he was talking about so I just said 'do what you’ve got to do'. He counted to three and pulled my leg.
"Everything went fine and I think some months after I said 'why did you do this?'. He said ‘your blood circulation at your foot was irrigated, I don’t know if this is the right word. He said after 30 minutes to an hour it would have to be amputated'. So thanks to the doc."
Cisse’s horror injury occurred just months into his Liverpool career, but he was remarkably able to make it back onto the pitch just before the Champions League final. "I had just signed for Liverpool (when it happened),” Cisse added. "I started the season well and scored in the first game against Tottenham. Then in October I broke my leg. I managed to come back just before the end and play just before the Champions League final. I was really happy with that."
Spending just two full seasons at Liverpool, Cisse joined Ligue 1 Marseille on an initial loan deal despite suffering another leg break playing for France on the same day his move was agreed. Fortunately, Cisse’s recovery was quick and he was remarkably able to return to action for Marseille in October, with his move being made permanent at the end of the season.
Just one full season after making his permanent switch, Cisse was on the move again as he became a football journeyman. He returned to the Premier League, playing for Sunderland and later QPR following brief spells at Panathinaikos and Lazio. Cisse’s career took him to Qatar, Russia, Reunion, Switzerland and finally the United States with Panathinaikos Chicago two years after originally announcing his retirement.
Cisse’s post-career ventures have also seen him launch his own clothing range and fragrance, called ‘Mr Lenior’, which translates to ‘Mr Senior’ in English. During a two-year career break in 2015, Cisse starred in season six of Danse avec les Stars, the French version of Dancing with the Stars, but he was eliminated first, finishing in last place. His television appearances also led to him to participate in the second season of France’s version of ‘Mask Singer’ in 2021, disguised as a skeleton.