Salif Keïta
Malian footballer (1946–2023)
Mali
Forward
Salif Keïta: profile
Salif Keïta (born 6 December 1946 in Bamako, Mali) was a Malian footballer who played as a forward. He died on 2 September 2023.
Keïta started out at AS Real Bamako in 1964. He played for 8 clubs in 5 countries between 1964 and 1980. The busiest spell of his career was at AS Saint-Étienne (1967–1972): 149 appearances and 125 goals. Across all recorded club spells he totals 432 appearances and 251 goals.
At international level, Keïta represented Mali (1963–1972), earning 28 caps and scoring 13 goals.
Bamako has produced 198 footballers in our database, including Seydou Keita, Mahamadou Diarra and Yves Bissouma.
Key facts
- Senior international debut
- 1963 (aged about 17)
- Club career
- 1964–1980 (17 seasons)
- Countries played in
- 5: Mali, France, Spain, Portugal and United States
- Club goals per game
- 0.58 (251 in 432)
- Height
- 176 cm — taller than 18% of Malian internationals on record
- Shares a birthday with
- Britt Assombalonga, Christian Kouamé and Khaled Lemmouchia (more)
Club career
| Years | Club | League | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964–1965 | AS Real Bamako |
Malian Première Division | – | – |
| 1965–1966 | Stade Malien |
Malian Première Division | 24 | 12 |
| 1966–1967 | AS Real Bamako |
Malian Première Division | 26 | 15 |
| 1967–1972 |  AS Saint-Étienne |
Ligue 2 | 149 | 125 |
| 1972–1973 | Olympique de Marseille |
Ligue 1 | 18 | 10 |
| 1973–1976 |  Valencia CF |
La Liga | 74 | 23 |
| 1976–1979 |  Sporting CP |
Primeira Liga | 63 | 32 |
| 1979–1980 |  Jacksonville Tea Men |
North American Soccer League | 39 | 17 |
| 1979–1980 | New England Tea Men |
North American Soccer League | 39 | 17 |
| Total | 432 | 251 |
Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.
International career
| Years | Team | Level | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–1972 | Mali |
Senior | 28 | 13 |
Frequently asked questions
Where was Salif Keïta born?
Salif Keïta was born in Bamako, Mali.
Which national team does Salif Keïta play for?
Salif Keïta played international football for Mali. He has 28 caps and 13 goals on record.
Which clubs has Salif Keïta played for?
Salif Keïta's recorded clubs are AS Real Bamako, Stade Malien, AS Saint-Étienne, Olympique de Marseille, Valencia CF, Sporting CP, Jacksonville Tea Men and New England Tea Men.
How tall is Salif Keïta?
Salif Keïta is 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) tall.
What position does Salif Keïta play?
Salif Keïta played as a forward.
