Biography
Who is Keita Balde?
Early life and football training
Keita Balde was born in Arbúcies, Girona, Catalonia. He grew up with Senegalese parents and spent his childhood supporting Inter Milan. The player has mentioned that Samuel Eto'o was his idol during his younger years.
He began his football development within the FC Barcelona youth academy. During a tournament in Qatar in 2010, he was sent on loan to UE Cornellà after playing a prank on a teammate. While at Cornellà, he scored 47 goals for their youth squad before deciding not to return to Barcelona.
Club career highlights
Lazio signed Keita in the summer of 2011 for a fee of 300,000 euros. After obtaining his Spanish citizenship and an EU passport, he made his professional league debut at the Stadio Olimpico in September 2013. He eventually became a key player for the club, especially scoring a fast hat-trick in Serie A against Palermo.
In 2017, he moved to AS Monaco for a transfer fee of 30 million euros. He later joined Inter Milan on loan in 2018, where he scored several goals, including a brace against Frosinone. Following his time in Italy, he played for Sampdoria, Cagliari, and Spartak Moscow.
Keita Balde faced a temporary ban from playing until December 2022 after an investigation by the Italian Anti-Doping Organization regarding testing procedures. He later played for Espanyol on loan and signed with Sivasspor in Turkey in August 2024. He joined Monza in February 2025 to finish the 2024-25 season.
International career and honors
Although born in Spain, he represents the Senegal national team. He made his international debut against Niger on March 26, 2016. He was a member of the squad that competed in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Keita was part of the Senegal team that won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. For his contributions following this victory, he was named a Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion by President Macky Sall in 2022.
Family and personal details
He has two brothers, Ibourahima and Mahamadou Baldé, who are both professional footballers. Keita stands at a height of 178 centimeters. He was born under the zodiac sign of Pisces.
Birthday and age
Keita Balde was born on March 8, 1995, which makes Keita 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Keita shares the date with 30 other famous people.
Explore more
