Abdoulaye Kanté
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 March 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Pontoise, France[1] | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lahti | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2019 | Bourges | ||
| 2021–2022 | Leixões U23 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2020 | Bourges | 15 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | → Vila Real (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | La Louvière Centre | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | EIF | 36 | (7) |
| 2024 | Ilves | 5 | (0) |
| 2024 | Ilves II | 1 | (1) |
| 2024 | → EIF (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2025– | Lahti | 3 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2025 | |||
Abdoulaye Kanté (born 4 March 2000) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lahti in Ykkösliiga. Born in France, Kanté is of Malian descent. After starting in his native France, Kanté has played in the lower divisions in Portugal and Belgium, before he moved to Finland in the summer 2022.
Club career
Kanté started his senior career with French club Bourges Foot 18 in 2018.
During the 2019–2020 season he was loaned out to Portuguese club Vila Real in the country’s third-tier.[2]
In the first half of the 2020–21 season Kanté was in the La Louvière Centre squad in Belgium, before returning to Portugal and joining Leixões. In the 2021–22 season he played for the club's U23 youth team in the Liga Revelação.[3]
Ekenäs IF
In August 2022, Kanté signed with Ekenäs IF (EIF), playing in Ykkönen, the Finnish second-tier league. After the season, his contract was extended for one year.[4] At the end of the next 2023 season, Kanté helped the club to win the promotion to Finland's premier division Veikkausliiga for the first time in 90 years, and only the second time in the club's entire history.[5][6] He scored a brace and provided an assist in the decisive 3–1 away win against Turun Palloseura (TPS) on 2 October 2023, which secured the Ykkönen title and the promotion for EIF.[7]
Ilves
On 1 December 2023, a fellow Veikkausliiga side Ilves announced the signing of Kanté on a two-year deal on a free transfer.[8] He debuted with his new club on 27 January 2024, in a Finnish League Cup win against Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS).[9]
Ekenäs IF (loan)
On 7 March 2024, Kanté was loaned back to EIF for a larger amount of guaranteed playing minutes.[10][11] On 26 April, Kanté scored his first Veikkausliiga goal, in a 2–1 away defeat against Inter Turku.[12] On 19 June, in a home match against IFK Mariehamn, Kanté was sent off on the first minute of the match, with his second red card of the season.[13]
Return to Ilves
On 23 July 2024, Kanté was called back to Ilves.[14] During the latter part of the season, Kanté made five appearances in the league, and additionally two appearances in the UECL qualifiers. On 10 January 2025, his contract was terminated on mutual agreement.[15]
Lahti
On 13 February 2025, Kanté signed with Lahti in Finnish second-tier Ykkösliiga.[16] On 25 May, Kanté scored his first goal in Ykkösliiga, the winning goal in a 5–3 home win over Käpylän Pallo.[17]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bourges | 2018–19 | National 3 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| Vila Real (loan) | 2019–20 | Campeonato de Portugal | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| La Louvière Centre | 2020–21 | Eerste Nationale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Leixões | 2021–22 | Liga Portugal 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Ekenäs IF | 2022 | Ykkönen | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | Ykkönen | 26 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 33 | 9 | ||
| Total | 36 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 9 | ||
| Ilves | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 5 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Ilves II | 2024 | Kakkonen | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | |||
| Ekenäs IF (loan) | 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| Lahti | 2025 | Ykkösliiga | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | 6 | 2 | |
| Career total | 93 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 112 | 13 | ||
- ^ Includes Suomen Cup
- ^ Includes Ykköscup, Finnish League Cup and Ykkösliigacup
- ^ Includes UEFA Conference League
Honours
Ekenäs IF
Ilves
- Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2024[21]
References
- ^ GSA player profile
- ^ A.Kanté, SOCCERWAY
- ^ A.Kanté, worldfootball.net
- ^ ABDOULAYE KANTÉ FÖRLÄNGER MED EIF, EIF, 18 October 2022
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanté stor matchhjälte med sina två mål för EIF, Västra Nyland, 2 October 2023
- ^ EIF NOUSI VEIKKAUSLIIGAAN – ABDOULAYE KANTE LÖI ALKUTAHDIT AIVAN MIELETTÖMÄLLÄ VOLLEYMAALILLA, pallomeri.net, 2 October 2023
- ^ Video: Abdoulaye Kante laukoi Eurogoalin – EIF nousee Veikkausliigaan!, puoliaika.com, 2 October 2023
- ^ TERVETULOA ILVEKSEEN, ABDOULAYE KANTÉ!, ilvesedustus.fi, 1 December 2023
- ^ Ilves haki Liigacupin avauspisteet Kuopiosta, Veikkausliiga, 27 January 2024
- ^ ABDOULAYE KANTÉ SIIRTYY LAINASOPIMUKSELLA EIF:IIN, ilvesedustus.fi
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanté palaa "kotiin" - EIF lainaa tutun pelaajan Ilvekseltä, veikkausliiga.com, 7 March 2024
- ^ EIF:n kiri ei riittänyt – "Totta kai olemme pettyneitä", veikkausliiga.com, 26 April 2024
- ^ EIF lähti karvaalla tappiolla juhannusyöhön, etela.com, 20 June 2024
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanté palaa lainalta Ilvekseen, ilvesfootball.com, 23 July 2024
- ^ Abdoulaye Kantén sopimus purettu yhteisymmärryksessä, ilvesfootball.com, 10 January 2025
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanté FC Lahden hyökkäykseen, fclahti.fi, 13 February 2025
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanten voittomaali sykähdytti Lahden stadionilla – Otso Koskinen nautiskeli hattutempun, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 25 May 2025
- ^ Abdoulaye Kanté at Soccerway
- ^ GSA A.Kanté, globalsportsarchive.com
- ^ REF soccerway
- ^ Ilveksen päävalmentaja hopeasta: ”Voitettu mitali”, Yle, 19 October 2024
External links
- Abdoulaye Kanté at Soccerway
- Abdoulaye Kanté at WorldFootball.net