With a return to the forefront expected thanks to his signing for Ferencvaros, Naby Keita still dreams of the ultimate consecration for an African player.
After a career marked by ups and downs with Liverpoolthen a year and a half (June 2023-December 2024) full of difficulties (five matches, injuries galore and being sidelined) at Werder Bremen, Naby Keita seems ready to bounce back with his nouveau club de Ferencváros.
At 28, the captain of the Guinea national team is focused on getting back to his best level. But the last few months of hardship seem not to have made him change his mentality, on the contrary. In an interview given to the media unit of the Hungarian club, after his return from the CAF Awards, where he was invited, the native of Coléah was clear about his ambitions:
« I will do my best to help the team and achieve great successes together. I want to enjoy every minute I can spend on the field ».
The African Golden Ball in the viewfinder
His goal is simple: to shine in the club, to excel with the Guineaand regain his place among the best African players. And even the best?
“One day I want to win the African Golden Ball » he blurted out, still sure of his strength at 29 years old.
It is true that Naby Keita has already reached the summits on several occasions. The Guinean was among the 30 best African players named for recognition by CAF, in 2017, when he played for Leipzig, but also in 2018 and 2019, when he was at the top of his form with Liverpool. It was also two of his teammates at the Reds, Mohamed Salah (2018) and Sadio Mané (2019), who passed in front of him.
It remains that given his difficulties in recent years, the fact that he attends a minor championship and that Guinea failed to qualify for CAN 2025 (unless his reservation lodged against Tanzania does not succeed), there are many obstacles before hoping to achieve the Grail. Especially with competitors like Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Ademola Lookman and Serhou Guirassy, who shine every week in the Champions League…
Initially, Keita will already try to string together the matches and find Syli National, who has not been called up to A since the CAN. Hungary, where he now plays, could be the scene of his rebirth.
