Seydou Keita: Career Stats, Clubs, Age & Nationality

Seydou Keita: profile

Seydou Keita (born 16 January 1980 in Bamako, Mali) is a former Malian footballer who played as a midfielder.

Keita made the step into senior football with Olympique de Marseille in 1999. He played for 9 clubs in 5 countries between 1999 and 2017. The busiest spell of his career was at R.C. Lens (2002–2007): 157 appearances and 19 goals. Across all recorded club spells he totals 481 appearances and 60 goals.

At international level, Keita represented Mali (2000–2015), earning 102 caps and scoring 25 goals. Our match database lists 13 of his international goals; the first came against Liberia on 19 January 2002 (Africa Cup of Nations). He also played for Mali at under-17 and under-20 level.

Bamako has produced 198 footballers in our database, including Mahamadou Diarra, Yves Bissouma and Amadou Haidara.

Eligibility explained: Why does Seydou Keita play for Mali?

Key facts

Senior international debut: 2000 (aged about 20)
First international goal: 2002 – aged 22 (match)
Club career: 1999–2017 (19 seasons)
Countries played in: 5: France, Spain, People's Republic of China, Italy and Qatar
Club goals per game: 0.12 (60 in 481)
Height: 183 cm — taller than 47% of Malian internationals on record
Latest move: El Jaish SC (2016)
Shares a birthday with: Toti Gomes, Pierre Boya and Chamseddine Dhaouadi (more)

Club career

Years	Club	League	Apps	Goals
1999–2000	Olympique de Marseille	Ligue 1	6	0
2000–2002	F.C. Lorient	Ligue 1	58	1
2002–2007	R.C. Lens	Ligue 1	157	19
2007–2008	Sevilla FC	La Liga	31	4
2008–2012	FC Barcelona	La Liga	119	16
2012–2014	Dalian Professional F.C.	Chinese Super League	37	10
2014	Valencia CF	La Liga	11	1
2014–2016	AS Roma	Serie A	46	3
2016–2017	El Jaish SC	Qatar Stars League	16	6
	Total		481	60

Appearances and goals are league figures where recorded on Wikidata; “–” means not recorded.

International career

Years	Team	Level	Caps	Goals
1997	Mali U17	Under-17	–	–
1999	Mali U20	Under-20	7	1
2000–2015	Mali	Senior	102	25

International goals (13)

#	Date	Match	Min	Competition
1	19 Jan 2002	Mali 1–1 Liberia	87	Africa Cup of Nations
2	10 Oct 2003	Guinea-Bissau 1–2 Mali	8	World Cup Qualification
3	1 Jun 2008	Mali 4–2 Congo	2	World Cup Qualification
4	1 Jun 2008	Mali 4–2 Congo	61	World Cup Qualification
5	22 Jun 2008	Mali 3–0 Sudan	60	World Cup Qualification
6	22 Jun 2008	Mali 3–0 Sudan	67	World Cup Qualification
7	10 Jan 2010	Angola 4–4 Mali	79	Africa Cup of Nations
8	10 Jan 2010	Angola 4–4 Mali	90	Africa Cup of Nations
9	18 Jan 2010	Mali 3–1 Malawi	3	Africa Cup of Nations
10	1 Feb 2012	Botswana 1–2 Mali	75	Africa Cup of Nations
11	20 Jan 2013	Mali 1–0 Niger	84	Africa Cup of Nations
12	2 Feb 2013	South Africa 1–1 Mali	58	Africa Cup of Nations
13	9 Feb 2013	Mali 3–1 Ghana	48	Africa Cup of Nations

*Goals listed are those present in our match-by-match goal database, which is most complete for tournament matches.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Seydou Keita?

Seydou Keita was born on 16 January 1980, which makes him 46 years old.

Where was Seydou Keita born?

Seydou Keita was born in Bamako, Mali.

Which national team does Seydou Keita play for?

Seydou Keita played international football for Mali. He has 102 caps and 25 goals on record.

Which clubs has Seydou Keita played for?

Seydou Keita's recorded clubs are Olympique de Marseille, F.C. Lorient, R.C. Lens, Sevilla FC, FC Barcelona, Dalian Professional F.C., Valencia CF, AS Roma and El Jaish SC.

How tall is Seydou Keita?

Seydou Keita is 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) tall.

What position does Seydou Keita play?

Seydou Keita played as a midfielder.