Alhassane Keita
Encyclopedia
Alhassane Keita Otchico (born 26 June 1983 in Conakry
), known as Keita, is a Guinea
n footballer who plays for Al-Shabab Riyadh in Saudi Arabia
, as a striker.
with Olympique Khouribga
, Keita moved in 2001 to Switzerland
, with Fussballclub Zürich. During his five-season stay, he bagged goals at an extraordinary rate, including 20 in 2005–06, as the club emerged champions and the player was crowned league top scorer.
Keita started the 2006–07 season still in Zürich
, scoring four in as much matches, but moved to Saudi Arabia
n outfit Al-Ittihad, in Jeddah
. In July 2008, he joined Spain
's RCD Mallorca
on a five-year link, being irregularly used in his debut season. He did manage, however, to score twice as a second-half substitute, in a 2–0 La Liga
home win over Real Valladolid
.
In July 2009, Keita was initially banned for four months, after it was found out he signed with Qatar
's Umm-Salal Sports Club
after he had already committed to Mallorca. As the appeals begun, though, he was able to start the new campaign
with the club, appearing in several matches from the bench; in late January 2010, the situation was resolved favorably to the Spaniards.
Keita was loaned to Real Valladolid
in the second division
, initially in a season
-long move. However, in late January 2011, he cancelled his loan agreement, rescinded his contract with the Balearic Islands
side and joined Al-Shabab Riyadh in Saudi Arabia until 2013.
as it reached the competition's quarterfinals, with an exit against Mali
. He did not play in the tournament, however.
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
), known as Keita, is a Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n footballer who plays for Al-Shabab Riyadh in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, as a striker.
Club career
After beginning professionally in MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
with Olympique Khouribga
Olympique Khouribga
Olympique Club of Khouribga, also called OCK, is a Moroccan football club based in Khouribga.-History:The club was founded in 1923, and first arrived in the country's first division in the 1982-1983 season.-Squad:...
, Keita moved in 2001 to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, with Fussballclub Zürich. During his five-season stay, he bagged goals at an extraordinary rate, including 20 in 2005–06, as the club emerged champions and the player was crowned league top scorer.
Keita started the 2006–07 season still in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, scoring four in as much matches, but moved to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n outfit Al-Ittihad, in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
. In July 2008, he joined Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's RCD Mallorca
RCD Mallorca
Real Club Deportivo Mallorca is a Spanish football team based on Palma, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands. Founded on 5 March 1916, the team currently plays in the Spanish first division, holding home games at Son Moix....
on a five-year link, being irregularly used in his debut season. He did manage, however, to score twice as a second-half substitute, in a 2–0 La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
home win over Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
.
In July 2009, Keita was initially banned for four months, after it was found out he signed with Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
's Umm-Salal Sports Club
Umm-Salal Sports Club
Umm-Salal Sport Club is a Qatari football team playing at the first level. It is based in Umm Salal. It was previously known as Al-Tadamun Club....
after he had already committed to Mallorca. As the appeals begun, though, he was able to start the new campaign
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
with the club, appearing in several matches from the bench; in late January 2010, the situation was resolved favorably to the Spaniards.
Keita was loaned to Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
in the second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, initially in a season
2010–11 Segunda División
-Personnel and sponsorship:-Managerial changes:-League table:||style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=11 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|-Positions by round:Source: -Results:...
-long move. However, in late January 2011, he cancelled his loan agreement, rescinded his contract with the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
side and joined Al-Shabab Riyadh in Saudi Arabia until 2013.
International career
Keita was part of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations Guinean teamGuinea national football team
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976...
as it reached the competition's quarterfinals, with an exit against Mali
Mali national football team
The Mali national football team, nicknamed Les Aigles , is the national team of Mali and is controlled by the Fédération Malienne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
. He did not play in the tournament, however.
Club statistics
| Season | club | championship |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Olympique Khouribga | 15 games/7 goals |
| 2001–02 | FC Zürich | 8/2 |
| 2002–03 | FC Zürich | 29/17 |
| 2003–04 | FC Zürich | 28/4 |
| 2004–05 | FC Zürich | 30/11 |
| 2005–06 | FC Zürich | 32/20 |
| 2006–07 | FC Zürich | 4/4 |
| 2006–07 | Al-Ittihad | |
| 2007–08 | Al-Ittihad | |
| 2008–09 | Mallorca | 24/5 |