Issa Diop

Toulouse

Diop played youth football for Balma SC before moving to Toulouse FC in 2006. He began training with the first team in September 2015, and signed a professional contract in November. He was part of an influx of young players to the squad that included Alban Lafont, Zinédine Machach, Alexis Blin and Yann Bodiger. He made his Ligue 1 debut, aged 18, on 28 November 2015 against Nice, playing the full game alongside fellow debutant Lafont. He scored his first goal in his second appearance on 2 December 2015, contributing to his club's 3–0 win away to fellow relegation strugglers Troyes. He made 21 appearances in his first season, helping the club to eight clean sheets. He was sent off twice during a season in which the club only avoided relegation with a win on the final day. Diop made 30 Ligue 1 appearances in 2016–17. He was named captain of his local club for the first time in April 2017. The 2017–18 season saw Diop become club captain in October. Toulouse reached the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France, but again struggled in the league, avoiding relegation after a play-off victory against AC Ajaccio in May 2018.

West Ham United

On 19 June 2018, Premier League club West Ham United confirmed the transfer of Diop, who signed a five-year contract. The fee, reported by British media as £22 million, was not disclosed but was announced as a club record, beating the previous record of £20 million set in July 2017 with the signing of Marko Arnautović.…

Diop has been a youth international for France at every level, making his first appearance for France U16 in 2013. He was part of the team that won the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, scoring in the final. In addition to winning the tournament itself, Diop was also named in the Team of the Tournament. He made his debut for France U21 in a qualification game for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, against Ukraine on 2 September 2016. He was eligible to play for Morocco through his mother and for Senegal through his father. In October 2018, he confirmed his international commitment to France. However, on 19 March 2026, it was announced that Diop had been selected to the Morocco national team for the first time. Seven days later, his request to switch allegiance to Morocco was approved by FIFA. On 26 May 2026, Diop was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On 29 June 2026, Diop scored his first international goal against the Netherlands in stoppage time of the second half during the Round of 32 knockout match, taking the game into extra time and ultimately penalties, where Morocco prevailed 3–2. He was also named Man of the Match.

Diop, at 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) in height, has been credited as being "a tremendous athlete, excellent in the air and quick across the ground" by football magazine FourFourTwo. He has played mainly as a right-sided centre-back. Along with the two red cards received in 2015–16, Diop amassed 25 yellow cards over the course of his three seasons at Toulouse.

Diop was born in Toulouse, France. His father is of Senegalese origin while his mother hails from a Moroccan background. His grandfather, Lybasse Diop, played for Bordeaux and was the first Senegalese footballer in Ligue 1. On 19 June 2023, according to La Dépêche du Midi, Diop was taken into custody in Toulouse for alleged death threats against his former partner.