Keita soars as Guinea captain commands while Bremen cheer

• He is currently playing for SV Werder Bremen
• He is the captain of the Guinea national team
• He won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool

Naby Keita is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bundesliga club Werder Bremen and captains the Guinea national team. His passion for football began in his hometown of Conakry, Guinea where he played in the streets and local tournaments as a child.

In his teenage years, his talent was recognized and he joined the Horoya Athletic Club, a major football academy in Guinea, which marked the beginning of his formal training and development, laying the foundation for his professional career.

How did Keita embark on his breakthrough?

While training with Horoya Athletic Club, Keita’s greatest dream was to embark on a journey that would see him play internationally with the world’s top leagues. He left for France where he had trials with FC Lorient and Le Mans FC. Unfortunately, the trials were not successful.

When all hope was lost, he found another opportunity through Bobo Balde, a Guinean footballer who organized a talent-spotting tournament in Marseille and Keita impressed the scouts, landing a contract with FC Istres, a Ligue2 club in France.

Naby Keita.Photo/Sky Sports

His performance at Istres caught the attention of Red Bull Salzburg, an Australian club known for developing young talent, and this was the start of his meteoric rise. Playing for Salzburg, Keita established himself as a key player and helped the team win the Australian Bundesliga and Australian Cup double for two consecutive years.

He then made a move to RB Leipzig where he continued to impress the fans and attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Signing for Premier League club Liverpool was Keita’s biggest dream come true. However, adjusting to the play style of the club was a challenge though he eventually overcame that.

The midfielder became a key part of the club and his pinnacle time at Liverpool came when they lifted the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy where he showcased his talent. He played at the club for five seasons and his time at Anfield was a mixed bag, filled with moments of brilliance and periods of frustration due to injuries.

The midfielder recently joined  Werder Bremen, a historic club in the Bundesliga though injuries have hampered his play time his experience and talent remain valuable.

What happened to Naby Keita?

The player’s injury-hit spell at Liverpool came to an end when his contract at Anfield expired. He made a surprise return to the Bundesliga by joining Werder Bremen on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract with Liverpool.

Seeking a fresh challenge by signing with the Bundesliga club has also been met with challenges as injuries have hampered his play time so far though his experience and talent are still valuable.

Naby Keita’s achievements with Liverpool

While his journey at Liverpool was marked by brilliance and injuries, Keita managed to collect some prestigious accolades with the team. His pinnacle at Liverpool was at the UEFA Champions League in 2019 where he played a crucial role in the Champions League victory.

Naby Keita. Photo/Eurosport

In the same season, following their Champions League triumph, Liverpool went on to win the FIFA Club World Cup where Keita featured in the competition, further adding to his collection of silverware with the club.

The following year, the player was part of the Liverpool squad that saw their way to the Premier League although his play time was limited due to injuries, he contributed to the team’s overall success throughout the season.

Keita captains the Guinea national team

Apart from being Werder Bremen’s midfielder, Keita is also the captain of the Guinea national team, best known as the National Elephants. His leadership qualities were identified in his early days when he captained the Horoya Athletic Club youth team before rising to prominence in the European leagues. His strategic mind and unwavering commitment to the team earned him a leader figure.