List of Famous people born in Dakar, Senegal
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a French professional football head coach and former player.
Tacko Fall
Elhadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G League.
Ali Dia
Aly Dia, commonly known as Ali Dia, is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a striker. In November 1996, Dia convinced Graeme Souness, then Southampton manager, that he was the cousin of FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or winner George Weah, which led to him signing a one-month contract with Southampton days later. Dia played only one match in his short spell at the club. He came on as a substitute in a league game, but was then himself substituted. He was subsequently released, 14 days into his contract.
Jean-Pierre Adams
Jean-Pierre Adams is a French former professional footballer who played as a centre back.
Idrissa Gueye
Idrissa Gana Gueye is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Senegal national team.
Rama Yade
Rama Yade is a Senegalese-born French politician and the author of several books. She served as the French Secretary of Human Rights from 2007 to 2009, and the Secretary of Sports from 2009 to 2010. She was the Permanent Delegate of France to UNESCO from December 2010 to June 2011. She held the vice-presidency of the centre-right Radical Party up until 25 September 2015. She announced her candidacy in the 2017 French presidential election, but was unable to catch enough signatures to be a participant in the presidential race. Her campaign was aimed at "the forgotten people" of France.
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr is a Senegalese writer. Raised in Diourbel, Senegal and later studying in France, Sarr is the author of three novels as well as a number of award-winning short stories. He won the 2021 Prix Goncourt for his novel La plus secrète mémoire des hommes, becoming the first Sub-Saharan African to do so.
Patrice Evra
Patrice Latyr Evra is a French football coach and former professional player. Originally a forward, he primarily played as a left-back. Evra, whom manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised for his leadership, also describing him as one of the best left-backs in Europe, served as captain for both Manchester United and the France national team.
Clémentine Célarié
Clémentine Célarié is a French actress, comedian, writer, director and singer.
Didier Raoult
Didier Raoult is a French physician and microbiologist specialising in infectious diseases. In 1984, Raoult created the Rickettsia Unit at Aix-Marseille University (AMU). He also teaches infectious diseases in the Faculty of Medicine of Aix-Marseille University. Since 2008, Raoult has been the director of the Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes. He gained significant worldwide attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for promoting hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the disease, despite evidence that it does not work.