Salif Keïta, the defiant Malian football legend who created history on and off the field

Salif Keïta, the defiant Malian football legend who created history on and off the field

Former Malian footballer Salif “Domingo” Këita, who passed away on 2 September in Bamako, embodied a crucial moment in the history of African football, helping shape its relationship with the world. His influence was also felt in Europe, when he helped shine a light on the rights of French footballers at a critical time. Born on 6 December 1946, the year that the French West African Cup was created, Keïta (not to be confused with Salif Keita th…