Naby Keïta was born on 10 February 1995 in Conakry, Guinea. He began his professional career in France with Ligue 2 side FC Istres in 2013, scoring 11 goals in 23 appearances before earning a move to Red Bull Salzburg the following year. At Salzburg he won back-to-back Austrian Bundesliga and Cup doubles and was named Austrian Football Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2015–16.
In 2016 he joined RB Leipzig, scoring on his Bundesliga debut against Borussia Dortmund and finishing his first season in the league's team of the year. A pre-agreed transfer took him to Liverpool in the summer of 2018, where he won the UEFA Champions League in his debut season, followed by the FIFA Club World Cup and the Premier League in 2019–20. Injury disrupted much of his time at Anfield, and he left the club in 2023 after starting just 49 Premier League games across five seasons.
A dynamic, box-to-box midfielder with the ability to dribble, pass and contribute goals, Keïta has drawn comparisons to both N'Golo Kanté and the former playmaker Deco.
After a difficult spell at Werder Bremen, he joined Hungarian side Ferencváros on loan in January 2025, a move that was made permanent in January 2026, giving him a stable platform to rebuild his club career.
Keïta made his senior international debut for Guinea in December 2012 and has earned over 50 caps, captaining the national side and representing them at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. He also served as Guinea's flag bearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.