Elegant and technically brilliant Malian midfielder whose creativity and goals graced Barcelona, Lyon and the Premier League during a distinguished career.
Seydou Keita was born in Bamako, Mali on 16 January 1980. One of the most elegant central midfielders of his generation, Keita was blessed with exceptional technical ability, vision and the capacity to score important goals. He came through Toulon before joining Lyon in 2000, winning the French league five times. Barcelona signed him in 2008 and he was part of two of the most dominant sides in football history, winning La Liga twice, the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, three Copa del Reys and multiple other honours in four years. He later played for Valencia, Dalian Yifang and Al-Jazira. For Mali he earned 72 caps and was named African Footballer of the Year in 2014. He won the CAF Champions League with TP Mazembe in 2015. He later became a member of UNICEF's team of ambassadors.
Versatile midfielder who won consecutive Champions League titles with Barcelona
He was part of two of the greatest club sides in history — the Lyon team that won five consecutive French titles, and the Barcelona side that won two Champions Leagues under Pep Guardiola.
Did You Know?How They Played
Box-to-box midfielder with strong physical presence, aerial ability and versatility
Lasting Impact
One of Mali's greatest players and key squad player in Barcelona's golden era
Career Honours
- Champions League 2009, 2011
- La Liga 2010, 2011
- Ligue 1 2001-05 (5x)
- Champions League 2009
- Champions League 2011
- La Liga 2010
- La Liga 2011
- Copa del Rey 2009
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toulon | 1998–1999 | — | 26 | #10 |
| Barcelona | 2008–2012 | 130 | 38 | #10 |
| Olympique Marseille | 1999–2002 | 45 | 3 | — |
| RC Lens | 2002–2005 | 89 | 11 | — |
| Sevilla | 2005–2008 | 139 | 14 | — |
| Dalian Aerbin | 2013–2014 | 22 | 4 | — |
| AS Roma | 2014–2015 | 28 | 1 | — |
| Malian | — | 102 | 25 | — |