Naby Keïta facts for kids
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Keïta with Guinea at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Naby Laye Keïta | ||
| Date of birth | 10 February 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Conakry, Guinea | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
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Ferencváros (on loan from Werder Bremen) |
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| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2012 | Horoya U19 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Horoya | ||
| 2013–2014 | Istres | 23 | (4) |
| 2014–2016 | Red Bull Salzburg | 59 | (17) |
| 2016–2018 | RB Leipzig | 58 | (14) |
| 2018–2023 | Liverpool | 84 | (7) |
| 2023– | Werder Bremen | 5 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Ferencváros (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024 | Guinea Olympic (O.P.) | 2 | (0) |
| 2012– | Guinea | 58 | (12) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:02, 30 March 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 July 2024 |
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Naby Laye Keïta (born 10 February 1995) is a professional footballer from Guinea. He plays as a central midfielder for NB I club Ferencváros. He is currently on loan from the German club Werder Bremen. Naby also leads the Guinea national team as their captain.
Keïta started his professional journey with Ligue 2 club FC Istres in 2013. A year later, he joined Red Bull Salzburg. There, he helped his team win both the Austrian Football Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup twice. In 2016, he moved to RB Leipzig in Germany. He was even named in the Bundesliga's best team in his first year.
In 2018, Keïta joined Liverpool. He had a lot of success there. He won the UEFA Champions League in his first season. The next season, he helped Liverpool win the FIFA Club World Cup and the Premier League.
Naby Keïta first played for the Guinea national team in 2012. He has played over 50 games for his country. He has also played in the Africa Cup of Nations four times. In 2024, he represented Guinea at the Summer Olympics and was chosen to carry his country's flag.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting in France: Istres
Naby Keïta joined his hometown club, Horoya AC, when he was nine years old. In 2012, he moved to France. He joined the youth team of FC Istres.
In 2013, he started playing for Istres' main team. He made his first appearance in Ligue 2 on 22 November 2013. In his first professional season, he scored 11 goals in 23 games.
Success in Austria: Red Bull Salzburg
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In 2014, Keïta moved to Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. He played his first league game on 26 July 2014. That season, he scored five goals and helped his team win the league and cup. The next season, he was named the best player in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Moving to Germany: RB Leipzig
In June 2016, Keïta joined RB Leipzig. This team had just been promoted to Germany's top league, the Bundesliga. He scored the winning goal in his first league game against Borussia Dortmund. He scored seven more goals in his first Bundesliga season. Because of his great playing, he was chosen for the league's team of the season.
He was also part of the best team for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League. His team reached the quarter-finals in that competition.
Joining a Big Club: Liverpool
First Seasons at Liverpool
On 28 August 2017, it was announced that Keïta would join Liverpool on 1 July 2018. Liverpool paid a lot of money to sign him. When he arrived, he was given the number 8 shirt. This number was famous because it was worn by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.
Keïta played his first game for Liverpool on 12 August 2018. He helped set up the first goal in a 4–0 win. On 5 April 2019, he scored his first goal for Liverpool. A few days later, he scored his first European goal in the UEFA Champions League. He got injured in May 2019 and missed the end of the season. Even though he was injured, he won his first title with Liverpool when his team won the Champions League final.
Winning More Trophies
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In the next season, injuries kept Keïta from playing a lot at first. On 7 December, he scored a goal and helped with another in a 3–0 win. On 10 December, he scored Liverpool's first goal in a Champions League win against his old club, Salzburg. This win helped Liverpool move forward in the competition.
On 18 December, he scored the first goal in a win that sent Liverpool to the Club World Cup final. Three days later, he played in the final. Liverpool won 1–0 and became world club champions. At the end of the season, Keïta also won the Premier League title with Liverpool.
Leaving Liverpool
On 17 May 2023, Liverpool announced that Keïta would leave the club. His contract was ending that summer. He had faced many injuries during his time there.
Moving to Werder Bremen and Ferencváros
On 9 June 2023, German club Werder Bremen announced that Keïta would join them. He joined as a free player. However, his time at Bremen had some challenges. He played only a few games.
On 10 December 2024, it was announced that Keïta would join Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Ferencvárosi TC on loan. This loan deal started in January 2025.
International Career
On 14 December 2012, Keïta played his first game for the Guinea national team. He scored a goal in a 1–1 draw against Sierra Leone.
Keïta was chosen for Guinea's team for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. He also played in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, 2021, and 2023. In January 2022, he helped Guinea reach the round of 16 in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He was even named in the best team of the group stage for that tournament.
In July 2024, Keïta was part of Guinea's team for the 2024 Olympics in France. He was given the honor of being his country's flag bearer during the opening ceremony.
How Naby Keïta Plays
Experts describe Naby Keïta as a very energetic midfielder. He can play all over the middle of the field. He is good at both defending and attacking. He can also pass the ball accurately over long distances. Some people compare him to famous players like N'Golo Kanté and Deco.
Keïta is known for being quick, skillful, and creative. He is good at dribbling the ball. He can also pass and shoot well. He often makes difficult plays look easy. His former coach, Ralf Rangnick, said that Keïta has a natural "360° radar" on the field. This means he always knows what's happening around him.
Personal Life
Naby Keïta has a younger brother named Petit Keïta. Petit also plays football.
In September 2021, Keïta and his Guinean teammates were in a difficult situation. They were stranded during a political event in Guinea. Luckily, everyone returned home safely.
Honours and Awards
Naby Keïta has won many awards and trophies during his career:
With Red Bull Salzburg
- Austrian Bundesliga: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Austrian Cup: 2014–15, 2015–16
With Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019–20
- FA Cup: 2021–22
- EFL Cup: 2021–22
- FA Community Shield: 2022
- UEFA Champions League: 2018–19 (and runner-up in 2021–22)
- UEFA Super Cup: 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
Individual Awards
- Footballer of the Year in Guinea: 2015, 2021
- Austrian Football Bundesliga Player of the Year: 2015–16
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2016–17
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
- CAF Team of the Year: 2018
Images for kids
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Keïta with Guinea at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations
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Keïta playing for RB Leipzig in 2016
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Keïta (front) playing for Liverpool in 2019
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Keïta after winning the 2015–16 Austrian Cup with Red Bull Salzburg
See also
In Spanish: Naby Keïta para niños
