Cédric Kanté
Cédric Kanté | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 6, 1979 France |
| Occupation | Professional footballer (retired) |
| Years active | 1999–2015 |
| Known for | Defender for RC Strasbourg, FC Istres, ASOA Valence, OGC Nice, Panathinaikos, FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, AC Ajaccio; Mali national team player |
Cédric Kanté (born 6 July 1979) is a retired professional football player who operated primarily as a defender. Although born in France, he represented the Mali national team, earning 41 international caps and scoring one goal.
Early years
Kanté initiated his professional journey with his hometown club RC Strasbourg, signing his first professional contract in 1999 at the age of 19. During his initial stint, he featured in 7 matches and was part of the squad that won the Coupe de France in 2001. In pursuit of more consistent playing opportunities, he transferred to FC Istres competing in Ligue 2, where he participated in 16 games over one season. Subsequently, Kanté joined ASOA Valence, where he established himself as a defensive mainstay by making 32 appearances before departing due to the club’s financial difficulties.
Return to Strasbourg and move to Nice
Kanté re-signed with Strasbourg on a three-year contract, becoming instrumental in their Ligue 2 campaigns by scoring 3 goals across 91 appearances. He then progressed to the top tier of French football by joining Nice. Despite a difficult debut season narrowly avoiding relegation, he played a significant role in achieving improved league standings of 8th and 9th place in the following two seasons. After three productive years totaling 97 Ligue 1 appearances and contributing 2 goals, Kanté transferred to Greek Super League outfit Panathinaikos.
Tenure at Panathinaikos
In June 2009, Kanté committed to a three-year contract with Panathinaikos. His inaugural season was marked by helping the team secure both the Greek Championship and the Greek Cup for the first time in six years. Kanté was a central figure during the 2009–10 Greek Cup Final, anchoring the defense as Panathinaikos edged out Aris with a 1–0 victory, courtesy of Sebastián Leto’s decisive goal. Throughout that season, he appeared in 21 league matches and provided two assists.
Sochaux period
Kanté returned to French football in July 2012 by signing a two-year deal with Ligue 1 club FC Sochaux-Montbéliard.
Ajaccio spell
Following Sochaux's relegation from Ligue 1 at the conclusion of the 2013–14 season, Kanté departed and inked a one-year contract with AC Ajaccio, another club recently relegated to Ligue 2.
International career
Qualified to play for Mali through his heritage, Kanté opted to represent the Mali national team. He earned 25 caps and took part in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations held in Ghana.
Honours
Strasbourg
- Coupe de France: 2000–01
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2004–05
Panathinaikos
- Super League Greece: 2009–10
- Greek Cup: 2009–10
Mali
- Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2012