Salif Keita (born December 8, 1946 in Bamako) is a former Malian football player.

[edit] Career

Keita played for AS Real Bamako where he was three times named champion of Mali.

In 1967, Keita left for France to join AS Saint-Étienne, where he gained three titles of champion of France. Considering himself exploited, however, he left Saint-Etienne for Olympique de Marseille. After they tried to force him to assume French nationality, however, he left for Valencia CF and then finished his career in the United States.

When he arrived at Valencia in 1973, the Spanish newspapers were accused of racism when one headline read El Valencia va a por alemanes y vuelve con un negro (Valencia goes out to buy Germans and come back with a black man), but at Valencia he was always loved and became a firm favourite with the fans, scoring both goals in his debut against Real Oviedo. He was soon nicknamed La perla negra de Malí (The Black Pearl of Mali). However, he complained that he was constantly played out of position. ^[1]

Later, in 1976, he joined Portuguese club Sporting, where he played 77 matches and scored 35 goals until 1979.

In 1970, Keita won the Ballon d'or Africain.

He is now owner of the Mandé hotel, next to the Niger river, one of the larger hotels in Bamako.

[edit] Background

The Guinean director Cheik Doukouré took the life of Salif Keita as a starting point for his 1998 film Le Ballon d'or.

[edit] International

In 1963, at the age of 16, Keita was selected to play on the national team, the Eagles of Mali, in the African Nations Cup.

[edit] Coaching career

In 1994, he created the first training center for professional football players in Mali, which bears his name.

In June 2005, Salif Keita was elected president of the Malian Federation of football (FEMAFOOT) for a term of four years. His cousin Sidi Yaya Keita has also been capped for Mali.

[edit] Privates

Salif's nephew, Seydou Keita, later followed in his uncle's footsteps, and played in Spain for FC Sevilla thirty-five years later.^[2] Another famous footballing nephew of Salif Keita's is Mohamed Sissoko. Both nephews play similar roles as hard-tackling defensive midfielders.

[edit] Honours

• Malien Cup: 1964, 1966, 1967
• Ligue 1: 1968, 1969, 1970
• French Cup: 1968, 1970
• Cup of Portugal: 1978

[edit] References and notes

[edit] External links

• La Liga player stats
• Profile