Cisse is a powerful midfielder, whose performances captaining Senegal at the 2002 World Cup prompted Birmingham boss Steve Bruce to sign him.
He completed a four-year deal, which at the time made him the biggest signing in the club's history.
After leading his side to the quarter-finals of the tournament in Japan and Korea and helping them to a historic victory over France in the opening game, he became a national hero, attracting the attention of a number of clubs.
Born in Zinguinchor, Senegal on 24 March 1976, Cisse also captained Senegal at the 2002 African Cup of Nations where the West African country reached the final for the first time, before losing out to Cameroon.
Cisse has spent most of his professional career in France, joining Montpellier in 2001 from Paris St Germain.
In 2000, he was a member of the PSG team that reached the French League Cup Final. Aliou started in French football with Lille, where he spent three seasons.
He was loaned to Sedan but his next permanent move was to PSG. He was there for four seasons and gained UEFA Champions League experience before a season with Montpellier brought him 17 appearances.
Then the World Cup resulted in his move to the Premiership. Bruce was very pleased to add Cisse to another of his summer signings, Robbie Savage.
He intended Aliou to be the player who would add bite to the midfield alongside the Wales international.
Cisse went on to form a formidable partnership with Savage in the heart of the Blues' midfield during the 2002/03 campaign and between them they managed to collect 22 yellow cards and one red.
Cisse sustained an injury and missed the last few months. He went on to win the hearts of the Birmingham faithful after nine members of his family died in a ferry disaster in Senegal, and showed immense courage when he stayed in England to play in the Blues' first away win of the season before flying home to be with his family.
But in the summer of 2004, Cisse looked set for a season-long loan move to Premiership new boys Crystal Palace. However that wasn't to be and just days after reports of the loan move, Portsmouth sneaked in at the last minute and signed the midfielder on a two-year £300k deal.
The 2004/05 season saw him make 25 appearances, putting in many impressive performances, despite the fact that during some he was played out of position.
After a disappointing 05/06 campaign, he was released by the club in June 2006.