death of Malian Salif Keita, ex-player of Saint-Étienne and Marseille – Liberation

Malian Salif Keita, former glory of African football who played in Saint-Étienne and Marseille in the 1970s, died on Saturday September 2 at the age of 76.

He was one of the glories of African football, having alternately sported the jersey of Saint-Etienne and then Marseille in the 1970s. The Malian Salif Keita died this Saturday, September 2, at the age of 76, announced the Malian Minister in charge of Sports.

Born in Bamako on December 12, 1946, he died in the Malian capital, said Abdoul Kassim Ibrahim Fomba. Salif Keïta “died this morning in a private hospital in Bamako. His family is in consultation to set the day and time of the burial, ”said a Malian football official, Salaha Baby.

The ex-attacker had been Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of private initiative in the Malian transitional government (1991-1992). He had also led the Malian Football Federation (FEMAFOOT) in the 2000s. FEMAFOOT also paid tribute to him on the social network X, ex-Twitter: “Salif Keita Domingo has bowed out. The world of sport in Mali and particularly that of football wishes to send its condolences to the family of Salif Keïta but also to the Malian nation.

Three-time French champion

“The Black Panther has gone, taking with it a piece of our club”, also soberly indicated on X the Sports Association of Saint-Étienne (ASSE) whose emblem Keita had inspired. First winner of the African Ballon d’Or in 1970, Salif Keita began his career in Mali, at Real Bamako then at the Malian stadium before arriving in Saint-Etienne in 1967 at the age of 23.

With the Greens, he was champion of France three times (1968, 1969, 1970) and twice winner of the Coupe de France (1968, 1970) before leaving for Marseille in 1972. He then played in Valence (Spain ), at Sporting Portugal before ending his career in the United States, in Boston. He also starred in the film Ballon d’Or, freely inspired by his story.

Nicknamed “Domingo” by his friends in reference to a name seen on the credits of a cinema poster when he was ten years old, Salif Keita, a slender player, endowed with an unparalleled technique and a keen sense of goal, was one of the greatest strikers of his generation. He died the day AS Saint-Etienne was to pay tribute to another club legend, George Bereta, who died at the start of the summer, during the Ligue 2 match ASSE-Valenciennes.