Mohamed Kallon facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 October 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Kenema, Sierra Leone | ||
| Height | 1.79 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1994 | Old Edwardians | 14 | (4) |
| 1994–1995 | Tadamon Sour | 24 | (15) |
| 1995 | Spånga | 0 | (0) |
| 1995–1999 | Inter Milan | 0 | (0) |
| 1995–1997 | → Lugano (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 1997 | → Bologna (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | → Genoa (loan) | 26 | (10) |
| 1998–1999 | → Cagliari (loan) | 26 | (6) |
| 1999–2000 | Reggina | 30 | (11) |
| 2000–2001 | Vicenza | 25 | (8) |
| 2001–2004 | Inter Milan | 45 | (14) |
| 2004–2007 | Monaco | 49 | (12) |
| 2005–2006 | → Al-Ittihad (loan) | 26 | (12) |
| 2008 | AEK Athens | 11 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | Al-Shabab | 4 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Kallon | 11 | (2) |
| 2010 | Shaanxi Baorong Chanba | 21 | (7) |
| 2011 | Viva Kerala | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Kallon | ||
| Total | 337 | (114) | |
| National team | |||
| 1995–2012 | Sierra Leone | 39 | (7) |
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Mohamed Kallon (born October 6, 1979) is a famous football manager and former player from Sierra Leone. He played as a striker. He is widely known as one of the most famous footballers from Sierra Leone.
Kallon played for Inter Milan from 2001 to 2004. Before that, he played for several Italian clubs like Genoa, Bologna, Cagliari, Reggina, and Vicenza. After leaving Inter Milan, he played for Monaco for three years. He also had short periods playing in Greece, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China.
He played 39 games for the Sierra Leone national team during his career. Mohamed is the younger brother of two other former Sierra Leonean international footballers, Kemokai Kallon and Musa Kallon.
Contents
Early Life and Nickname
Mohamed Kallon was born in Kenema, Sierra Leone, on October 6, 1979. He went to primary school in Kenema and finished his secondary education in Freetown.
Because he was the youngest of the three Kallon brothers who played for the Sierra Leone national team, fans gave him the nickname Small Kallon.
Starting His Football Journey
First Steps in Sierra Leone
After finishing school in 1994, Kallon joined a local club called Old Edwardians in the Sierra Leone National Premier League. He was only 15 years old. In his first season, he scored 15 goals in 24 games. This made him the youngest player to ever play and score in the league.
Playing Abroad: Lebanon and Sweden
After his time with Old Edwardians, Kallon moved to Lebanon and joined the club Tadamon Sour. He was discovered by Ali Abdullah, who saw him playing football on a beach in Freetown. Kallon, still only 15, traveled to Lebanon and scored 15 goals in 24 games for Tadamon Sour.
He then spent one season playing for Spånga in Sweden.
Joining Inter Milan and Loan Spells
Soon after, the famous Italian club Inter Milan signed him. However, he was loaned out to other clubs to gain experience. He played for Swiss Super League club FC Lugano, and Italian clubs like Bologna, Cagliari, and Genoa. He also played for Reggina and Vicenza.
Playing for Inter Milan
Becoming a Key Striker
Kallon returned to Inter Milan for the 2001–02 season. Even though Inter had many other great strikers like Christian Vieri and Ronaldo, Kallon got to play a lot because of injuries to other players. He played in 29 league matches and scored nine goals. He was the team's second-highest scorer that season. Inter Milan finished third in the league and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Continued Success and Challenges
In the 2002–03 season, Kallon scored five goals in nine league games. He helped Inter Milan finish second in the league. He also played in both semi-final matches of the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League against AC Milan.
In 2003, Kallon faced a challenge when he tested positive for a banned substance. He was banned from playing football for eight months. After his return, it was harder for him to get into the starting team at Inter because of new talented players.
Moving to Monaco and Beyond
Success with Monaco and Al-Ittihad
Before the 2004–05 season, Kallon signed a four-year contract with the French club Monaco. He played well in his first season.
In 2005, he went on loan to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad. He helped them win the 2005 AFC Champions League, scoring six goals in the competition. He also played for Al-Ittihad in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.
Later Career Moves
After returning to Monaco, he played 12 more league matches in the 2006–07 season. He left Monaco in 2007. He tried to join Birmingham City in England but could not get a work permit.
He then signed a six-month contract with the Greek club AEK Athens in 2008. Fans in Greece remember him for a great goal he scored against PAOK. After Greece, he moved to Al-Shabab in the United Arab Emirates.
Playing for His Own Club
In October 2009, Mohamed Kallon signed to play for his very own football club, Kallon. This club is based in Sierra Leone.
Playing in China and India
In 2010, he joined the Chinese team Shaanxi Baorong Chanba. He scored a penalty kick in his first game. He left China in December to be closer to his family. In 2011, he moved to India and played for Chirag United Kerala.
He returned to his club, Kallon, in 2012 and scored an important goal that helped them reach the second round of the 2012 CAF Confederation Cup.
Mohamed Kallon officially announced his retirement as a player on March 22, 2016, after last playing in 2014. In 2014, he was also named the head coach for Sierra Leone's Under-17 team.
International Career for Sierra Leone
Kallon made his first appearance for the Sierra Leone national team, known as the Leone Stars, in April 1995. He was only 15 years old, making him the youngest player to ever play for the team. He scored the winning goal in that game against Congo.
At 16, Kallon was the youngest player at the 1996 African Nations Cup in South Africa. He scored one of Sierra Leone's two goals in their opening match, helping them win 2–1 against Burkina Faso.
He was a very important player for the Leone Stars and played in many World Cup qualification matches. He was also the captain of the team for a while.
Kallon: The Club Owner
Mohamed Kallon is not just a player; he is also the founder and owner of the Sierra Leonean football club Kallon. The club plays in the Sierra Leone National Premier League and plays its home games at the National Stadium in Freetown.
Kallon bought the club, previously known as Sierra Fisheries, in 2002 for $30,000. Under his ownership, FC Kallon won the Sierra Leonean FA Cup and the Sierra Leone League title in 2006. They also qualified for the African Champions League.
Giving Back: Mohamed Kallon Children's Foundation
Besides his football club and other businesses, Mohamed Kallon also started a charity called the Mohamed Kallon Children's Foundation (MKCF). This foundation aims to help hundreds of street children in Sierra Leone.
Kallon himself grew up in Freetown and was touched by the situation of street children. His foundation works with the United Nations and other groups to help children and support programs that raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone. The creation of MKCF received a lot of attention from the media, including the BBC.
Career Statistics Summary
Mohamed Kallon played a total of 337 club games and scored 114 goals. For the Sierra Leone national team, he played 39 games and scored 7 goals.
Honours and Awards
Al-Ittihad
- AFC Champions League: 2005
Individual Awards
- AFC Champions League Top Scorer: 2005
- Sierra Leone Order of the Rokel: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Mohamed Kallon para niños
