Romain Saïss


Romain Ghanem Paul Saïss is a professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers and captains the Morocco national team as a defender or a midfielder.
He began his career with Valence, then played for Le Havre and Clermont of Ligue 2, and Angers of Ligue 1 before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2016.
A full international since 2012, Saïss has earned over 40 caps for Morocco. He represented the nation at two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Early career

Saïss began his senior career with Olympique de Valence in the Championnat de France Amateur 2, and supplemented his €500 monthly salary with washing up at his parents' restaurant. At 21, he signed his first professional contract with Clermont Foot in Ligue 2.
In June 2013, Saïss moved across Ligue 2 to Le Havre AC on a two year deal. When it ended, he joined Ligue 1 side Angers on a two-year contract.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 30 August 2016, Saïss moved to England, joining Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal. He made his debut on 17 September in a 2–0 win at Newcastle United. In the game, he was subjected to racial abuse by opponent Jonjo Shelvey, who was given a five-match ban and £100,000 fine by The FA in December.
He scored his first goal for the club on 30 September 2017 in a 4–0 win against Burton Albion.
Following Wolves's promotion to the Premier League in 2018, Saïss made his debut Premier League appearance as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on 22 September 2018. His first start in the Premier League came in a 1–2 defeat away to Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium on 30 November.
Saïss scored his first Premier League goal for Wolves in a 1–1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage on 26 December 2018. On 21 February 2019 he agreed a new contract until the summer of 2021.
On 25 July 2019 Saïss made his debut appearance in UEFA European club football competition as a late substitute in Wolves's 2–0 home win against Crusaders in the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round and on 24 October he scored his first goal in such a competition when he opened a 2–1 away win at Slovan Bratislava in the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League group stage.

International career

Saïss, who was born and raised in France, chose to represent the Morocco national team, for which he qualified through ancestry. He is currently the captain of the national team. He made his debut in a 1–0 friendly loss to Togo in November 2012.
Saïss was in the Moroccan squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. He scored his first international goal in their 3–1 group win over Togo.
In June 2018 he was named in Morocco's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and featured in Morocco's games in the tournament against Iran and Spain.
After the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, in which Morocco made the last 16, Saïss became the captain of the Atlas Lions.

Personal life

Saïss is a Muslim and observes fasting in the month of Ramadan.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.20 January 2017Stade d'Oyem, Oyem, Gabon2–13–12017 Africa Cup of Nations

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers