Seydou Keïta (; anglicised to Keita; born 16 January 1980) is a Malian former professional footballer. A versatile midfielder, he operated as both a central or defensive midfielder. He is both the record appearance holder and scorer of the Mali national football team.
Keita most notably played for Lens (five seasons) and Barcelona (four), winning 14 titles with the latter club after signing in 2008. He started his youth career in Mali and his professional career with Marseille. His career would take him to clubs in France, Spain, China, Italy and Qatar.
Keita represented Mali since the age of 18, appearing in seven Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and winning 102 caps, scoring 25 times. In addition to his Malian nationality, he also has French nationality.
Club career Marseille Born in Bamako, Mali, Keita finished his football formation in France with Olympique de Marseille, joining the club at the age of 17. He played mainly for the reserve squad during his three-year spell.
Keita made his Ligue 1 debut for L'OM on 19 September 1999 in a 1–0 home win against Troyes AC, adding three games in the season's UEFA Champions League. In the summer of 2000, he left the Stade Vélodrome.
Lorient and Lens Keita signed for Lorient in Ligue 2, being instrumental (37 games, one goal) as the team promoted to the top level in 2001. He appeared slightly less due to injury in the following season, which ended in immediate relegation, but brought the conquest of the Coupe de France, the club's first-ever; he played the full 90 minutes in the final against SC Bastia.
In 2002, Keita joined fellow league side Lens, eventually becoming captain and scoring a career-best 13 goals in the 2006–07 season – his fifth and last – helping Les Sang et Or to fifth position in the league and the last-16 in the UEFA Cup.
Sevilla On 11 July 2007, Keita signed a four-year contract with Sevilla for a €4 million transfer fee, plus a 10–15% capital gain for the club if it sold the player above €4 million. He appeared in both legs of that year's Supercopa de España, a 6–3 aggregate win against Real Madrid.
Keita was an automatic first-choice for the Andalusians during 2007–08, helping the team to the fifth position in the league. On 3 November 2007 he scored from long-distance in a 2–0 home win also over Real Madrid,; ESPN Soccernet, 3 November 2007 and added three in nine matches in the Champions League, including one against Arsenal in a 3–1 group stage home victory which was the opposition's first loss of the campaign.Unbeaten run ends; ESPN Soccernet, 27 November 2007
Barcelona
On 26 May 2008, Keita agreed to a four-year deal with Barcelona who paid his €14 million buy-out clause (making Lens eligible to receive €1.3 million from Sevilla). He became the first Malian player to ever represent the Catalans, and his new release clause was set at €90 million.; FC Barcelona, 26 May 2008
Keita made his official debut for Barcelona in a Champions League qualifier against Poland's Wisła Kraków on 13 August 2008, a 4–0 home win.Barcelona 4–0 Wisla Krakow; ESPN Soccernet, 13 August 2008 He made his league debut against CD Numancia on the 31st, coming on as a substitute for Andrés Iniesta midway through the second half of a 0–1 away loss.; ESPN Soccernet, 31 August 2008
Keita scored his first goal for the team on 16 November 2008, in a 2–0 win at Recreativo de Huelva.More leaders than ever (0–2) ; FC Barcelona, 16 November 2008; ESPN Soccernet, 16 November 2008 The following week he added another, in a 1–1 home draw to Getafe;; ESPN Soccernet, 23 November 2008 he finished his first season at the Camp Nou with 46 official appearances as Barça won the treble, and played 20 minutes in the Champions League final, taking the place of Thierry Henry in the 2–0 triumph against Manchester United.
On 25 October 2009, Keita scored his first career hat-trick, in a 6–1 home win against Real Zaragoza,Sensational Barca rediscover form; ESPN Soccernet, 25 October 2009 and contributed with 29 games – 23 starts – as Barcelona renewed its domestic supremacy. In the 2010–11 campaign he made more appearances than any other outfield player and, on 31 August, aged 31, signed a contract extension that would link him to the club until 2014.
Dalian Aerbin On 7 July 2012, Keita announced he would be leaving Barcelona after four seasons,Keita announces he won’t be at Barça next season; FC Barcelona, 7 July 2012 invoking a clause in his contract allowing him to leave the club even though he still had two years left. The following day, he signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Chinese Super League side Dalian Aerbin, being reportedly paid €14 million per year.Dalian Aerbin confirm Seydou Keita signing; Goal, 8 July 2012
Valencia
On 30 January 2014, Keita returned to Spain after signing with Valencia, with the 34-year-old agreeing to a six-month contract with the option for an additional year.Comunicado oficial (Official announcement) ; Valencia CF, 30 January 2014 (in Spanish) He made his debut for the Che on 16 February, replacing Paco Alcácer for the last 20 minutes of a 0–0 away draw against former club Sevilla. On 13 March, midway through the first half of an away fixture against PFC Ludogorets Razgrad for the UEFA Europa League, he was sent off for a challenge on Roman Bezjak that resulted in a penalty kick, but his team eventually won it 3–0 and 4–0 on aggregate.
Keita scored Valencia's fastest-ever goal on 27 March 2014, netting after nine seconds at Almería. He also had to leave before the end of the first half with an injury, as the hosts came from behind for a 2–2 draw.
Roma On 5 June 2014, Keita signed a one-year contract with Serie A club Roma. He made his competitive debut in the opening day of the season, against ACF Fiorentina (2–0 win), and scored his first goal on 9 November to help defeat Torino F.C. 3–0 also at the Stadio Olimpico.
Keita agreed to a new one-year deal in the 2015 off-season.
El Jaish Keita retired at the age of 37, after one season in the Qatar Stars League with El Jaish.
International career
Keita helped Mali's under-20s finish third at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria, scoring the only goal in the last match against Uruguay, and being named the tournament's best player. He made his senior debut for Mali on 9 April 2000, in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Libya. He wore the no.12 shirt as he represented the country in six Africa Cup of Nations tournaments: in the 2010 edition in Angola he scored twice, both goals coming in the 4–4 group stage draw against the hosts, who were leading 4–0 with 11 minutes to go;Hosts stunned by fightback; ESPN Soccernet, 10 January 2010 Les Aigles, however, could not make it past the group stage. From 2007 to 2008, he scored an impressive 8 goals in 20 international matches from his midfield position.
Keita also participated in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, scoring in the 1–1 quarterfinal draw against the hosts as Mali eventually won the shootout.
Personal life Keita's uncle, Salif Keïta, was also a footballer. He played, amongst others, for Saint-Étienne, Marseille, Valencia and Sporting CP, and was once voted African Footballer of the Year.
Keita married Zubaida Johnson, of Cape Verdean descent. On 12 May 2008, he became the father of a son, Mohammed, who was born in Seville, also father of Hanane, Ishana and Zulaykah all born in Barcelona, Catalonia.Seydou Keita, Barcelona; Muslim Footballers, 26 July 2011
Career statistics Club Sources:
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMarseille1999–2000Ligue 160001031—101Lorient2000–01Ligue 23711010——3912001–02Ligue 12105131——292Total58161410000683Lens2002–03Ligue 1282311070—3932003–04220301060—3202004–053435131——4252005–063533010131—5242006–0738114110101—5313Total15719182713620021824Sevilla2007–08La Liga31420—9330457Barcelona2008–09La Liga29450—122—4662009–1029610—100404462010–1135392—101205662011–1226330—9041424Total119161820041310118822Dalian Aerbin2012Chinese Super League12410———134201325630———286Total3710400000004110Valencia2013–14La Liga111——70—181Roma2014–15Serie A26210—91—3632015–1620100—30—231Total463100012100594El-Jaish2016–17Qatar Stars League166——50—216Career total481604961221101213165378
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsMali2000202001312002113200371200482200540200630200794200811420095020103320113120121022013113201461201540Total10025
Scores and results list the Mali's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Keita goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Seydou KeitaNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Stade Baréma Bocoum, Mopti, Mali1–11–1Friendly2Stade Abdoulaye Makoro Cissoko, Kayes, Mali1–11–1Friendly3Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali1–11–12002 Africa Cup of Nations4Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali1–03–02004 Africa Cup of Nations qualification5Estádio 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau1–02–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification6Stade Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes, France1–03–0Friendly72–08Parc des sports de Marville, Paris, France1–03–1Friendly9Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali2–06–02008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification104–011Stade Déjerine, Paris, France–3–2Friendly 12Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali1–04–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification134–114Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali2–03–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification153–016Estádio 11 de Novembro, Talatona, Angola1–44–42010 Africa Cup of Nations173–418Estádio Nacional do Chiazi, Cabinda, Angola2–03–12010 Africa Cup of Nations19Stade Municipal Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, Paris, France1–01–1Friendly20Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville, Gabon2–12–12012 Africa Cup of Nations21Stade Municipal Saint-Leu-la-Forêt, Paris, France1–21–2Friendly22Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa1–01–02013 Africa Cup of Nations23Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, South Africa1–11–12013 Africa Cup of Nations24Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa2–03–12013 Africa Cup of Nations25Stade du 26 Mars, Bamako, Mali1–02–02015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
Honours Lorient Coupe de France: 2001–02
Lens UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2005
Sevilla Supercopa de España: 2007
Barcelona La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11 Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; runner-up 2010–11 Supercopa de España: 2009, 2010, 2011 UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11 UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011 FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011
Mali FIFA World Youth Championship third place: 1999 Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2012, 2013
Individual FIFA World Youth Championship Golden Ball: 1999 Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2002, 2010, 2012, 2013 UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2006–07 CAF Team of the Year: 2009, 2011
See also List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
References
External links