Abdul Kader Keïta facts for kids
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Kader Keïta in September 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abdul Kader Keïta | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Gagnoa, Ivory Coast | ||
| Height | 1.84 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Africa Sports | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2000 | Africa Sports | 23 | (4) |
| 2000–2001 | Étoile du Sahel | 22 | (7) |
| 2002 | Al Ain | 19 | (6) |
| 2002–2005 | Al-Sadd | 53 | (26) |
| 2005–2007 | Lille | 73 | (17) |
| 2007–2009 | Lyon | 62 | (5) |
| 2009–2010 | Galatasaray | 27 | (5) |
| 2010–2012 | Al-Sadd | 27 | (7) |
| 2014–2015 | Budapest Honvéd | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 281 | (77) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000–2012 | Ivory Coast | 72 | (11) |
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Abdul Kader Keïta (born on August 6, 1981) is a former professional footballer from Ivory Coast. He played as a winger, which is a player who mostly plays on the sides of the field. He was a member of the Ivory Coast national football team from 2000 to 2012.
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Playing for Clubs
Keïta, also known as 'Popito', started his football journey in his home country with the club Africa Sports. After that, he moved to Tunisia to play for Etoile du Sahel.
He then played in the United Arab Emirates for Al Ain and in Qatar for Al Sadd. In 2005, he moved to France to join the Lille club, which plays in Ligue 1, a top French football league.
Time at Lyon
On May 31, 2007, the chairman of Olympique Lyonnais, Jean-Michel Aulas, announced that his club wanted to sign Keïta. They also wanted to sign his teammate, Mathieu Bodmer.
On June 16, 2007, Lyon officially announced that they had signed Keïta from Lille. The transfer cost €18 million. Bodmer also joined Lyon. Keïta played for Lyon for two seasons, appearing in 52 matches and scoring 5 goals.
Playing for Galatasaray
On July 2, 2009, Galatasaray, a Turkish club, announced that Keïta had joined them. He signed a three-year contract, and the transfer fee was €8.5 million, plus an extra €500,000 depending on his performance.
He scored his first goal for Galatasaray in a Europa League qualification match against Maccabi Netanya. On December 12, he scored in a 3–2 win against Antalyaspor.
In February 2010, Keïta scored a goal that helped Galatasaray get a 1–1 draw against Atlético Madrid in the Europa League. He scored again in the second game, but Galatasaray did not qualify for the next round. He scored two goals in a 4–1 win over Kasımpaşa on February 28. In March, he scored and assisted a goal in a 3–0 win against MKE Ankaragücü. In April 2010, he helped set up two goals for Milan Baroš in a 4–1 victory over Diyarbakırspor. A week later, he scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against Manisaspor.
Return to Al Sadd
Keïta went back to his old club, Al Sadd SC, in July 2010. The transfer cost €8.15 million.
In an 2011 AFC Champions League semi-final match in October 2011, Keïta was involved in a controversial moment. A player from the opposing team, Suwon, was injured. While he was being treated, Keïta quickly took a free kick and passed the ball to his teammate, Mamadou Niang. Niang then scored a goal, even though the Suwon team thought the ball would be given back to them as a matter of fair play. This caused a lot of confusion and a small argument on the field. Keïta later received a red card and was suspended for the next game. His teammate, Lee Jung-Soo, said that Keïta apologized for his part in the controversial goal.
Keïta scored a goal in the AFC Champions League Final on November 5. His team, Al Sadd, won the game after a penalty shootout. Keïta was named the best player of the match. He left Al Sadd at the end of the 2011–12 season. He was interested in playing in the Premier League in England.
Playing for His Country
Keïta had a great career playing for the Ivory Coast. He played in 72 international matches. He represented his country in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also played in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments: in 2002, 2008, 2010, and 2012. In 2012, his team finished as runner-up.
He played three matches in the 2010 African Nations Cup and scored one goal against Algeria in the quarter-final match.
2010 World Cup Moment
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Keïta was involved in a notable moment during a game against Brazil. He had an interaction with Brazilian player Kaká. Keïta fell to the ground, holding his face, after contact with Kaká. As a result, Kaká received a yellow card, which was his second of the match, and was sent off the field. Many people, including sports commentators, thought Keïta's reaction was an overreaction and not in the spirit of fair play. This moment was widely discussed and considered one of the less positive moments of the tournament.
Personal Life
Keïta's older brother, Fadel Keïta, was also a professional footballer and played for the Ivory Coast national team.
Awards and Trophies
Africa Sports
- African Cup Winners' Cup: 1999
Al-Ain
- UAE Pro League: 2001–02
- GCC Champions League: 2001
Al-Sadd
- Qatar Stars League: 2003–04
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2002–03, 2004–05
- Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 2003
- AFC Champions League: 2011
Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2007–08
- Coupe de France: 2007–08
- Trophée des Champions: 2007
See also
In Spanish: Abdul Kader Keïta para niños
