Senegal international Ismaila Sarr finishes as Conference League top scorer

Crystal Palace forward Ismaila Sarr ended the 2025-26 Conference League campaign as the competition’s leading scorer after helping the English side secure victory in the final against Rayo Vallecano.

The Senegal international finished the tournament with nine goals in 13 appearances as Palace edged the Spanish club 1-0 in Leipzig on Wednesday, 27 May to claim the title.

Sarr’s position at the top of the scoring standings had effectively been secured before the final after he found the net against Shakhtar Donetsk in the second leg of the semi-finals.

The 28-year-old completed the competition ahead of Samsunspor striker Marius Mouandilmadji and Lech Poznan forward Mikael Ishak, who both scored eight goals before their clubs were eliminated earlier in the tournament.

His performances throughout the campaign played an important role in Crystal Palace’s successful run in Europe, with the Senegalese attacker regularly delivering in decisive moments.

The final against Rayo Vallecano proved to be a tense and closely contested affair, but Palace managed to secure a narrow victory to complete their European campaign with silverware.

For Sarr, the triumph represented the conclusion of an impressive season at both club and individual level.

The former Watford player established himself as one of Palace’s main attacking threats during the Conference League campaign, using his pace and finishing ability to punish opposition defences across the competition.

His goals came at important stages of the tournament and helped Crystal Palace progress through the knockout rounds before eventually lifting the trophy in Leipzig.

The decisive strike against Shakhtar Donetsk in the semi-finals effectively confirmed his place as the tournament’s leading scorer, as his closest challengers were no longer involved in the competition by the time of the final.

Mouandilmadji and Ishak both enjoyed productive European campaigns for Samsunspor and Lech Poznan respectively, but neither player was able to add to their tally of eight goals after their teams exited the tournament.

Sarr therefore remained alone at the top of the scoring charts with nine goals by the end of the campaign.

The Conference League title added further significance to an already successful season for the Senegal international, who also finished with 21 goals in all competitions.

His contribution in front of goal underlined his importance to Crystal Palace throughout the season, particularly during their European journey.

Sarr consistently produced decisive performances as Palace advanced through the various stages of the competition, eventually securing one of the club’s most notable achievements on the European stage.

The forward’s ability to score in key moments made him one of the standout players of the tournament and ensured he ended the season with both a major team honour and individual recognition.

Crystal Palace’s victory over Rayo Vallecano ultimately confirmed Sarr’s status as the Conference League’s most prolific player for the 2025-26 season.

With nine goals in 13 matches, the Senegalese striker finished above every other player in the competition and capped a memorable European campaign with the golden boot.