Mali against Mali. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Mali · 2017–23 · RB
He was Rennes' right-back at the Stade de France on 27 April 2019, when the club drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain and won the shoot-out 6-5 for its first trophy in 48 years. That Coupe de France remains his major honour, won in the middle of 188 league games for Rennes, and he now captains Mali, with 60 caps, three goals and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023. Career record: club career at Paris, Lierse S.K., Stade de Reims.
Mali · 1968–72 · CAM
The Black Panther scored 42 league goals in the 1970-71 season for Saint-Étienne, two behind Josip Skoblar, and finished his time there with 125 in 149 league matches. In 1970 he became the first winner of the African Footballer of the Year award, and he took three straight French championships between 1968 and 1970, two Coupes de France, and a place in the Mali side that reached the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations final in Yaoundé. Career record: 28 caps and 13 goals for Mali; club career at AS Saint-Étienne, Valencia CF, Sporting CP.
The almanac puts Salif Keita ahead by 6 rating points, 90 against 84.
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