Sory Kaba (born 28 July 1995) is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Segunda División club Elche CF, on loan from UD Las Palmas, and the Guinea national team.
_15.jpg) Kaba with Dijon in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 28 July 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Conakry, Guinea | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Elche (on loan from Las Palmas) | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2014 | Alcobendas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2016 | Alcobendas | 52 | (13) |
| 2016–2017 | Elche B | 32 | (14) |
| 2017–2019 | Elche | 59 | (22) |
| 2019 | Dijon | 9 | (0) |
| 2019–2023 | Midtjylland | 73 | (20) |
| 2021–2022 | → OH Leuven (loan) | 26 | (10) |
| 2023 | → Cardiff City (loan) | 17 | (8) |
| 2023– | Las Palmas | 17 | (1) |
| 2024– | → Elche (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017– | Guinea | 21 | (3) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:25, 10 October 2020 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editBorn in Conakry, Kaba moved to Spain at early age and joined Alcobendas CF's youth setup in September 2012. He made his senior debut during the 2013–14 season, helping in their promotion to Tercera División.[1]
On 29 January 2016, Kaba joined Elche CF, being assigned to the reserves also in the fourth tier.[2] On 13 May of the following year he made his first team debut, coming on as a second-half substitute for Álex Fernández in a 1–0 Segunda División home loss against CD Mirandés.[3]
Kaba scored his first professional goal on 28 May 2017, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against CF Reus Deportiu. On 29 July, after suffering relegation, he extended his contract for three years and was definitely promoted to the first team.[4]
On 31 January 2019, the last day of the 2018–19 winter transfer window, Kaba signed with Ligue 1 side Dijon FCO having agreed a 4+1⁄2-year contract. The club paid a €4 million transfer fee to Elche triggering a release clause.[5]
On 5 July 2019, Danish Superliga club FC Midtjylland announced that they had signed Kaba on a five-year contract.[6] On 31 August 2021, Kaba moved to Belgian First Division A club OH Leuven on loan for the 2021–22 season. OH Leuven secured an option to sign him permanently.[7] On 1 June it was confirmed that Kaba was returning to Midtjylland, as the Belgian club had decided not to exercise the option to buy the striker.[8]
On 31 January 2023, the last day of the winter transfer window, Kaba joined EFL Championship club Cardiff City on loan until the end of the season.[9]
On 17 August 2023, Kaba officially joined La Liga club UD Las Palmas for a reported fee of over €2 million,[10] signing a four-year contract with the club.[10][11] On 30 August of the following year, he returned to former side Elche on a one-year loan deal.[12]
International career
editKaba was first called up for the Guinea national team on 25 September 2017, for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Tunisia.[13] He made his full international debut on 7 October, replacing Demba Camara in the 4–1 loss.[14]
In January 2022, he was selected by selection Kaba Diawara to participate in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.[15]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 22 September 2024[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Elche | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 5 | 1 | – | – | – | 5 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18 | Tercera División | 34 | 13 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 39 | 15 | |||
| 2018–19 | Segunda División | 20 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 20 | 8 | |||
| Total | 59 | 22 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 64 | 24 | ||||
| Dijon | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1[b] | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| FC Midtjylland | 2019–20 | Danish Superliga | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 1 | – | 32 | 8 | |
| 2020–21 | Danish Superliga | 27 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 10[d] | 1 | – | 42 | 14 | ||
| 2021–22 | Danish Superliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Danish Superliga | 16 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9[e] | 1 | – | 27 | 4 | ||
| 2023–24 | Danish Superliga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[f] | 1 | – | 8 | 1 | ||
| Total | 77 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 25 | 4 | – | 109 | 27 | |||
| OH Leuven (loan) | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 26 | 10 | 3 | 2 | – | – | 29 | 12 | ||
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 17 | 8 | – | – | – | 17 | 8 | |||
| Las Palmas | 2023–24 | La Liga | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 20 | 2 | ||
| Elche (loan) | 2024–25 | Segunda División | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 208 | 61 | 19 | 8 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 253 | 73 | ||
- ^ Includes Coupe de France, Danish Cup, Belgian Cup, Copa del Rey
- ^ Appearance in Ligue 1 relegation play-offs
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, five appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League
International
edit- As of matches played on 10 October 2020[17]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guinea | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 14 | 3 | |
- Scores and results list Guinea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kaba goal.[17]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 June 2019 | Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt |  Egypt |
1–1 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 22 June 2019 | Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt |  Madagascar |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2019 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 3 | 10 October 2020 | Estádio Municipal de Albufeira, Albufeira, Portugal |  Cape Verde |
1–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Honours
editFC Midtjylland
References
edit- ^ "Sory Kaba, jugador del Alcobendas Levitt CF, ficha por el Elche CF" [Sory Kaba, player of Alcobendas Levitt CF, signs for Elche CF] (in Spanish). Alcobendas CF. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Sory Kaba refuerza al Elche Ilicitano" [Sory Kaba bolsters Elche Ilicitano] (in Spanish). Elche CF. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Un Elche en caída libre entra en descenso y da vida al colista" [A freefalling Elche go inside the relegation zone and give life to the last placed] (in Spanish). Marca. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
- ^ "Sory Kaba seguirá vinculado al Elche tres campañas más" [Sory Kaba will remain tied up with Elche three more seasons] (in Spanish). Diario Información. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Dijon achète Sory Kaba à Elche". L'Équipe (in French). 31 January 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ FC MIDTJYLLAND HENTER LANDSHOLDSANGRIBER, fcm.dk, 5 July 2019
- ^ Thomas, Standaert (30 August 2021). "Guinese international moet Thomas Henry doen vergeten: OH Leuven huurt spits Sory Kaba van Midtjylland". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ Sory Kaba vender tilbage til FC Midtjylland bold.dk, 1 June 2022
- ^ "Cardiff sign striker Kaba on loan from Midtjylland". BBC Sport. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ a b Checa, Pablo (18 August 2023). "Sory Kaba refuerza la delantera de Las Palmas". Diario AS (in European Spanish). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Sory Kaba, nuevo jugador de la UD Las Palmas". UD Las Palmas (in European Spanish). 17 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Sory Kaba, cedido al Elche CF" [Sory Kaba, loaned to Elche CF] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
- ^ "Guinée – Tunisie: Voici la liste de Lappé Bangoura" [Guinea – Tunisia: Released the list of Lappé Bangoura] (in French). Guinée News. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "Guinea 1–4 Tunisia". FIFA.com. 7 October 2017. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
- ^ "CAN 2022. Guinée : avec Saidou Sow, retrouvez la liste complète du Sily national". Ouestfrance.fr (in French). 4 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
- ^ "Sory Kaba". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Sory Kaba". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Guldfest i Herning: FC Midtjylland er dansk mester". dr.dk. Danmarks Radio. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.