Youssouf Sabaly: from Betis to Al-Shamal

A career built on steady progress

Youssouf Sabaly's path to the top was gradual rather than explosive. Born in France to Senegalese parents, he came through Paris Saint-Germain's youth ranks before making his senior breakthrough with Evian, debuting in Ligue 1 in the 2013–14 season. A loan spell at Bordeaux in 2016 turned into a longer stay, and it was there that Sabaly established himself as a dependable, attack-minded full-back in French football.

His move to Real Betis in the summer of 2021 marked the biggest step of his career. Arriving on a free transfer, Sabaly quickly became a trusted part of the Betis squad and was rewarded with a Copa del Rey winner's medal in 2021–22. He stayed at the club long enough to also pick up a runner-up medal in the UEFA Conference League in 2024–25, earning a place in that competition's Team of the Season as recognition of his contribution.

Senegal's international journeyman

Though eligible for France at youth level, he was part of the squad that won the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Sabaly chose to represent Senegal at senior level, debuting in a World Cup qualifier against South Africa in 2017. From there, his international career blossomed. He was named in Senegal's squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and the following year he was one of the standout performers as Senegal reached the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, narrowly losing to Algeria. His performances throughout that tournament saw him named in the Team of the Tournament.

Sabaly went on to feature in all four of Senegal's matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as the Lions of Teranga reached the knockout stages for the first time since 2002. He remained a part of the national set-up into 2023, being named in the squad for the postponed Africa Cup of Nations held in Ivory Coast.

What Sabaly is doing now

After his long stint in La Liga with Real Betis, Sabaly has moved on to a new chapter in his career. He now plays as a right-back for Al-Shamal, continuing his career away from the European leagues where he spent the bulk of his professional life. It's a quieter stage than the Copa del Rey celebrations or Africa Cup of Nations finals of his past, but it keeps him playing the position he has made his own for over a decade.

For a player who worked his way up through Ligue 1 to the Spanish top flight and the biggest stages in African football, the move to Al-Shamal is simply the next step in a career defined by steady, unflashy excellence, the kind of full-back every side wants to have on the right flank.