Liverpool Sinama Pongolle began his career at hometown club
Saint-Pierroise before moving to
Le Havre in
Metropolitan France at the age of 11. In 2001 he, along with his cousin
Anthony Le Tallec, was signed by
Liverpool, after some impressive performances in both the
UEFA European Under-16 Championship and the
FIFA Under-17 World Championship. He was named player of the tournament as France won the latter competition, and remained at Le Havre – as Le Tallec – for a further two years on loan. and shortly afterwards scored his first goal in a league game against
Leeds United. In Liverpool's
victorious campaign in the
UEFA Champions League, he
came from the bench against
Olympiacos and immediately scored Liverpool's equaliser to make it 1–1, in an eventual 3–1 win and qualification to the
round of 16. However in a
League Cup tie against
Watford in January 2005 he picked up a knee injury, meaning he missed the rest of the season including Liverpool's victory in
the Champions League final. Sinama Pongolle also netted in the third round of the
2005–06 FA Cup against
Luton Town, as he helped Liverpool come from 3–1 down to a final score of 5–3, with the side finally emerging victorious in
the tournament, and scoring in the
2005–06 Champions League 2–1 away defeat of
Real Betis, with a
chip from 20 yards. In late January 2006, Sinama Pongolle was loaned to fellow
Premier League side
Blackburn Rovers until the end of
the season. He scored once for them, a 2–3 defeat at
Tottenham Hotspur.
Spain On 30 August 2006, Sinama Pongolle signed a one-year contract at
Recreativo de Huelva, with an option to sign on for a further two years. On 4 May 2007, the
Andalusians confirmed he had agreed to a deal until 2011, for a fee of
€4 million. He was ''Recre's'' top goalscorer in his two
La Liga seasons with the team, at 12 and ten respectively. Sinama Pongolle joined
Atlético Madrid on 3 July 2008, for a fee believed to be in the region of
£8 million. Initially thought of as a backup to
Diego Forlán and
Sergio Agüero, he benefitted from an injury to the Uruguayan, scoring four goals in his first five league appearances for the
Colchoneros, with braces against former club Recreativo and
Getafe; later in
his debut campaign, injury and match bans to
Maxi Rodríguez saw him playing several games as
right winger, as the team once again finished fourth.
Sporting CP and Rostov in 2011 In the winter transfer market opening in 2010, Sinama Pongolle was transferred to
Sporting CP for €6.5 million, with the fee possibly raising to €7.5. On 26 March 2010, he scored his first goal for the
Lions, but also conceded an
own goal in a 3–2 loss at
C.S. Marítimo. Sinama Pongolle spent the following two seasons on loan, with
Zaragoza and
Saint-Étienne, the latter in his homeland. On 30 August 2012 he terminated his contract with Sporting, going on to spend two years in the
Russian Premier League with
FC Rostov where he featured rarely.
Later years On 9 September 2014, Sinama Pongolle signed with
Major League Soccer's
Chicago Fire. In November of the following year, after a short spell in Switzerland with
Lausanne-Sport, he joined
Dundee United. In July 2016, Sinama Pongolle joined
Chainat Hornbill of the
Thai League 1, scoring once in his debut but in a 2–7 away defeat against
Chonburi FC. In early November, in spite of the team's
relegation, the 32-year-old extended his contract until 2018. Sinama Pongolle returned to the island of his birth in January 2019, rejoining Saint-Pierroise with Uruguayan strike partner
Diego Silva also making the same move from Thailand. ==International career==