Aly Keita is a former professional footballer born on December 8, 1986, in Sweden, to a Guinean father and a Norwegian mother. A goalkeeper who proved himself in several Swedish clubs, he particularly distinguished himself with Östersunds FK between 2014 and 2024, contributing to the club's promotion to the Swedish first division and winning the Swedish Cup in 2017.
His remarkable European journey with ÖFK in the Europa League, notably against clubs like Galatasaray and Arsenal, represents the pinnacle of his club career. Internationally, Keita chose to represent Guinea from 2018, accumulating 24 caps with the national team. His career came to an abrupt end in 2024 following a case of driving under the influence of drugs that led to his dismissal from Östersunds FK.
Introduction
Born on December 8, 1986, in Sweden, Aly Keita has built a remarkable career as a professional goalkeeper, proudly representing Guinea on the international stage. His journey, marked by spectacular rises and dramatic falls, demonstrates a career rich in unexpected turns.
Early Career and Rise in Swedish Football
Keita began his career at Skiljebo SK before joining Syrianska IF in 2007. After five seasons, he signed with Västerås SK in 2012, where he established himself as a reliable goalkeeper in Division 1 Norra. However, it was his transfer to Östersunds FK in 2014 that marked a decisive turning point in his career.
By his second season with ÖFK, Keita contributed significantly to the club's promotion to the Swedish first division (Allsvenskan) by finishing second in the championship. His reassuring presence in goal became one of the team's pillars.
European Glory and Controversial Incidents
Keita's career reached its peak in 2017. On April 13, he participated in the brilliant 4-1 victory in the Swedish Cup final against IFK Norrköping, enabling his club to qualify for the Europa League. During the European qualifiers, he delivered memorable performances, particularly against Galatasaray and PAOK, where his crucial save in the final seconds qualified Östersunds for the group stage.
ÖFK's European adventure continued brilliantly with qualification for the round of 16, where Arsenal ended their journey (4-2 on aggregate). During this period, Keita also experienced some difficult moments, such as during a match against Athletic Bilbao where a technical error cost him a goal.
His career was also marked by an unusual incident: on August 15, 2016, during a match against Jönköpings Södra IF, a pitch invader physically assaulted him, hitting him in the temple, leading to the abandonment of the match and the arrest of the attacker.
Sporting Decline and Personal Problems
From 2019, Östersunds FK entered a difficult period. The club narrowly avoided relegation in 2020 but finished last in Allsvenskan in 2021. Keita nevertheless participated in the successful playoffs against Falkenberg in 2022, avoiding a double relegation to the third division.
The goalkeeper's career took a dramatic turn on June 20, 2024, when he was indefinitely suspended by his club after being suspected of driving under the influence of drugs and money laundering. Three months later, found guilty of driving under the influence, he was dismissed by ÖFK. The money laundering investigation would later be abandoned.
International Career
Born to a Guinean father and a Norwegian mother, Keita chose to represent Guinea in April 2018. He made his international debut on October 12, 2018, in a 2-0 victory against Rwanda in the qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. In total, he accumulated 24 caps with the Syli National between 2018 and 2022.
At the end of a career counting more than 300 professional matches, Aly Keita remains in memory as a talented goalkeeper whose journey illustrates the ups and downs of professional football, between continental success and personal downfall.
