In Seychelles’ moderate sports history, you might not find a lot of footballers who would grab headlines. However, among the few who would grab your attention is Philip Zialor. It’s been more than a decade that the striker retired but his exploits on the field have left a lasting impression on the fans.
The prolific marksman is the top-scorer ever in Seychelles’ history with 14 goals from 33 games and is the Seychellois record holder for netting the most goals in a single game, four against Mauritius in the 2008 COSAFA Cup. He was also the architect of Seychelles’ biggest win that had come against Zimbabwe in the 2004 African Nations Cup qualifiers. Known for his dead-ball skills, it was his free-kick in the 87th minute that gave his country a famous 2-1 victory against Zimbabwe at Stad Linite back in 2003. The other goal was scored by Zialor’s strike partner Alpha Balde from a penalty in the 73rd minute.
He had a commanding presence in club football as well, leading the attack for clubs like St Michel United, St Louis FC, Anse Reunion FC, and winning a good number of trophies. He was also voted player of the year on three separate occasions.
“There were quite a lot of moments that I fondly look back upon, although my best memory has to be when I scored the last minute equaliser to complete a brace against Red Star in the final match of the 2000 season to help us (St Michel) win the league title,” Zialor was quoted as saying by Seychelles Nation.
Zialor’s legacy and name, though, are remembered because he has also inspired his next generation of footballers to take up the game. However, the present Seychelles football team has made little impact in the international arena. Zialor, who made famous the No. 13 in Seychelles, prescribed a way through which Seychelles can improve as a footballing nation. “I think that the national team should always have a group of players who form the backbone of the side. Meaning, the team should be able to meet at least once every week to train and not train only when there are competitions,” he said.
Zialor also added that the Seychelles Football Federation should look to offer its players some incentives to encourage and motivate them. “Nowadays, everyone tells you that they cannot train as they have to work, but back then we had to work too, but we still found time to meet and train,” he said.
Zialor’s journey as a footballer started with the Sunshine Football Club. He was already skilful and it didn’t take long before word spread about his talent. Soon, he came under the spotlight and became one of the most talked about local footballers of his generation. Local clubs lined up to get his signature on the dotted lines before St Michel United went on to snap him up.
- Phillip Zialor is the top-scorer ever in Seychelles’ history with 14 goals
- Zialor’s 87th-minute free-kick gave Seychelles a famous 2-1 victory against Zimbabwe at Stad Linite back in 2004 African Nations Cup qualifiers
- The former striker was voted Seychelles player of the year on three separate occasions
He quickly rose through the ranks at St Michel before eventually becoming a club legend. His exploits were also noticed by national coach Vojo Gardasevic of Yugoslav. When the Seychelles team made their debut in the World Cup qualifiers in 2001, Zialor scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Namibia at Stad Linite and got a lot of acclaim. He continued his streak in domestic football before also getting an offer from a Bahrain-based club. However, a cruciate ligament (ACL) injury spoilt his dream altogether. In fact, it forced him to make an early retirement from football. “I went to play in Bahrain and that was where I picked up a cruciate ligament injury and after that I couldn’t really play anymore, so I decided to quit football altogether.”
These days, Zialor likes to stay away from the limelight. “I have not been involved in football much since I decided to stop playing. I did study for a first coaching license but then I found it difficult to do the others because of my work commitment,” said Zialor.
However, Seychelles’ most prolific goal scorer is open to help his country’s football if and when needed as the present generation of players would only benefit from his experience.
This article, published in December 2022, draws its main source from FIFA.com, showcasing the remarkable career of Philip Zialor and his significant contributions to Seychelles football.
