Moussa Sissoko (born 16 August 1989) is a French professional footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and the France national team. He plays as a box-to-box midfielder, and is capable of playing in either a holding midfield role, or even as an attacking midfielder or right winger, due to his pace and offensive capabilities. Sissoko has been described as a "well-rounded central midfielder" who is "tall, rangy, and strong in the tackle".
Sissoko began his football career playing for local youth clubs in the Île-de-France region, such as Espérance Aulnay and AS Red Star 93. In 2002, he moved south to join professional club Toulouse. Sissoko spent four years in the club's youth academy and made his professional debut in the 2007–08 season. He also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. In the following season, Sissoko earned award nominations for his performances and also helped Toulouse qualify for the newly created UEFA Europa League.