The France international, who has overcome a difficult start at Tottenham to become a huge fans’ favourite, says he has looked up to fellow countryman Patrick Viera since he was a boy and ‘tried to be him’ when he was younger.
Click Here: Italy Football Shop
Sissoko sat down for a series of quick-fire questions ahead of Tottenham‘s Premier League trip to Manchester City on Saturday – which is LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on talkSPORT.
And he revealed how he was inspired by a fellow French midfielder who starred across north London between 1996 and 2005.
Asked who his first sporting hero was, the Spurs star said: “I don’t want to have any problems if I say his name, but it was Vieira!
“We play in the same position, he is tall like me, playing in the France national team like I am now.
“So I was following him and tried to be like him when I was younger.”