Salif Keita, one of the most formidable scorers in the history of AS Saint-Etienne, has died at the age of 76.
The oldest have not forgotten this thrilling duel of serial scorers won by Josip Skoblar in 1970-1971. A little over fifty years ago, the OM centre-forward, a Yugoslavian at the time, finished top scorer in the French Championship with 44 goals, a record that still stands today.
Behind the Olympian striker, the dolphin Salif Keita had struck 42 times that season, including a sextuplet slammed against Sedan (8-0, 35th day). The Malian player from Saint-Etienne, who arrived four years earlier in Forez, died at the age of 76, indicates ASSE this Saturday.
🖤 On this already dark day, marked by a tribute to Georges Bereta in a bereaved cauldron, ASSE had the immense pain of learning of the disappearance of Salif Keita.
Like his friend Georges, Salif was one of the greatest and will remain so. pic.twitter.com/iNg5plfkW5
– AS Saint-Etienne (@ASSEofficiel) September 2, 2023
In the legendary Greens jersey, Salif Keita scored 142 goals in 186 matches in all competitions. Seydou Keita’s uncle (OM, Lens, Lorient, FC Barcelona) also wore the colors of OM (1972-1973) and the American club New England where he ended his professional career in 1980.
Salif Keita, who also had a taste of politics in Mali, counted on his CV three French championship titles (1968, 1969 and 1970) and two French Cups (1968, 1970) won with AS Saint-Etienne in mourning on September 2, 2023.
